Hills Like White Elephants, Symbolism and Theme, Ernest Hemingway Research Paper

Hills Like White Elephants, Symbolism and Theme, Ernest Hemingway - Research Paper Example The two characters exchanged words without giving a clue to what they were really talking about so that the reader is left to make his/her own story based on the judgment made from the conversations. Looking at the style of Hemmingway in presenting the story, symbolism could be a more magnified element the author wants the reader to be directed to. Analyzing the story, an individual’s attention is brought to the title of the story as well as the mention of the white elephants in the story. The opening sentence ‘The hills across the valley of the Erbo were long and white’, offers symbolisms right away. Valley symbolizes fecundity (Fraim) and hills, with their rising form represent pregnancy. Thus, the story suggests that the woman in the story is pregnant which is of course not specifically mentioned. The theme of the story will be based on such an interpretation as other symbolisms will be noted in the following discussions. According to Buddhism, an elephant symb olizes strength and steadfastness (Choskyi). Thus, it could be said that the theme of the story is about these symbolic characteristics of an elephant as made out from the conversations of the main characters.