Hills Like White Elephants

Question	Answer
"The American and the girl"	The American has connotations of wealth and power. The girl has connotations of yputh and innocence. Contrast of personalities makes it easy for the man to control and manipulate the girl. Not HIS girl suggests past/future affairs.
"No, you wouldn't have."	She is not being literal. She is acknowledging the fact that he is shallow and doesn't have an imagination. Also, he fails to see beauty and appreciate it. They see things very differently.
"What does it say?"	She cannot speak Spanish, but the man can. She is faced with a language barrier. She is isolated and the only way she can access the world around her is through the man. Enhances his power over her, as she is reliant on him.
"Could we try it?"	She is asking for permission, highlights the fact that he has control and power over her.
"Everything tastes like liquorice. Especially all the things you've waited so long for."	Her life is a bit of a let down and depressing. Everything she does is meaningless, she realises this, but the man doesn't.
"Wasn't that bright?"	She is looking for approval, suggests that he is older and in control, as everything she does must impress him.
"absinthe"	Strong expensive alcoholic drink; shows their expensive carefree lifestyle. Links to madness and blindness; he is blind to all the good things and the beauty in the world, she is blinded by what she thinks is love, she fails to see that he has all the power and they are not equal.
"It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig."	The man avoids the terminology for the abortion, making it sound less important. He is trying to manipulate her into getting the abortion by telling her it is simple, when in fact this is untrue, as not only was it against the law until 2009, it was a sin to the catholic faith and it could seriously hurt or kill her as medical knowledge and technology was not as advanced back then as it is now. Jig is the pet name he has given her, shows her youth and immaturity, also suggests that the relationship is based on casual sex.
"It's not really anything. It's just to let the air in."	He is very disrespectful and incredibly insensitive. He doesn't really care about her and he definitely doesn't want the responsibility of being a father.
"Then what will we do afterwards?"	How will they be able to come to terms with taking a life, will their relationship be able to survive it? It is not something you can just forget about it, may end up regretting it for the rest of their lives.
"We'll be fine afterwards. Just like we were before."	The man thinks they will be able to move on; he clearly doesn't know the girl very well as she will struggle to get through it. They are not engaged emotionally, he doesn't understand her or how she feels. He only sees the baby as a problem that he must get rid of, but the girl sees the potential.
"The girl looked at the bead curtain"	Literally acts as a division, she doesn't know what lies ahead, so she is scared to make a choice. The beads are metaphorically rosery beads (catholic prayer beads). She is searching for an answer, hope and guidance from religion as the man us unable to provide that for her; this shows that she is becoming more independent as she is attempting to make the choice on her own.
"I've known lots of people that have done it"	He has been in this situation before. After the girl gets the abortion she will be cast away like previous girlfriends of his. Even if the girl does not get the abortion the man will not want to continue the relationship or be responsible for the baby.
"And you really want to?"	She keeps asking him over and over in hope that he will change his mind or even consider the possibility of keeping the baby and settling down with her and starting their family.
"And if I do it you'll be happy and things will be like they were and you'll love me?"	She wants assurance that if she gets the abortion he will be happy and lover her. She wants to stay with him as she loves him and the man knows that if he tells her that he'll stay she will get the abortion, this is emotional blackmail/abuse. He is putting pressure on her and manipulating her into getting the abortion.
"Across, on the other side, were field grain and trees along the banks for the Ebro. Far away, beyond the river, were mountains. Thee shadow of a cloud moved across the fields of grain and she saw the river through the trees."	On the other side in her vision is life: the lush growth surrounding the Ebro river. This represents her other choice: to create life, to build a future. However, she is reminded of the threat, the 'shadow of a cloud' to her unborn child and her own happiness.
"And we could have everything and everyday we make it more impossible."	They could have everything; love, happiness, peace etc.. but everyday a bit of it dies and they become further away from their hopes and dreams.
"We can have the whole world."	He still thinks they can have everything and they will be able to continue life as normal, go anywhere, drink anything, get any woman he wants. He doesn't realise the emotional and physical strain and damage this is causing the girl.
"it's not ours anymore."	Things aren't going to be the same, the abortion will change her entire world. They won't have access to the beauty and happiness in the world once they commit the sin of abortion. There is a biblical reference to the garden of Eden.
"come on back in the shade"	When she is out in the open she is exposed to her own feelings and he does not like this as he is loosing control of her, he wants her back in the shade, under his power, hiding from reality, like he does.
"Can't we maybe stop talkoing?"	Before she was asking questions as she wasn't sure what to do, now she wants him to stop talking, this shows that she has come to a decision. She realises he does not have the emotional or intellectual capacity to understand the situation, her or her needs.
"I don't want anybody but you."	He is saying the reason he doesn't want the baby is because he only wants her, this is to cushion the fact that he doesn't want the responsibility of being a father or settle down, he would rather continue with the fast paced, expensive, carefree lifestyle he has now.
"Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?"	She is not as nieve as she was at the beginning of the story. She now sees,him for what he really is.
"I feel fine."	She has given up trying to change his mind. She feels fine because she doesn't feel anything for him anymore. She has made her decision to get the abortion and start over without the man controlling her life. The abortion is literal as she decides to abort the baby, but it is also meaningful; it symbolises the abortion of the relationship and the abortion of the person she used to be; she is now a stronger more independent person.

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	Created by lisahardman over 10 years ago