S.

Pino
English Department
Ernest Hemmingway – Hills Like White Elephants

1. What are the characteristics of the land on each side of the tracks? Which words does Hemingway use to
describe the landscape?

2. Why is the girl disappointed with the new drink she tries?

3. What does the girl mean when she says, “We could have all this [the mountains, river, and fields] . . . we
could have everything and every day we make it more impossible”?

4. How does the man describe the situation and how do his words remind you of the culture of death?

5. How does the girl ultimately react to the situation and what does her reaction tell you about her character?

6. How does the man ultimately react to the situation and what does his reaction tell you about his character?

7. When he tells the girl that he doesn’t want her to do anything she doesn't want to do, is he being sincere?

8. What do the bags mean in the story? What does the man do with them at the end of the story?

9. How does Hemingway use shade and shadows throughout the story to help us understand the girl’s
decision not to have an abortion?

10. Looking back on the story, list the evidence that tells what kind of operation Jig is confronting. How risky
is it physically and emotionally?

11. Are you surprised that this story was written by a man? Why or why not?

12. How are the hills in the story spotlight Jig's decision? How does Jig see the setting as symbolic of her
choices?

13. Hemmingway once suggested that his purpose in such a story is to tell the reader as little as possible
directly yet to reveal characters' motives and their conflict. How does this principle operate in this story?
Where would you like to have more information (besides "he said" and "she said")?

14. Lewis Weeks, Jr., claimed in 1980 that "although subject, setting, point of view, characterization, dialog,
irony, and compression all make 'Hills Like White Elephants' one of Hemingway's most brilliant short
stories, the symbolism implicit in the title and developed in the story contributes more than any other single
quality to the powerful impact."  Agree with any part of this statement in detail, quoting relevant phrases
from the story as needed.

15. Why does Hemingway use very little description and very few dialogue markers during the conversation in
the story? How is this representative of his style?