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À
   Hills Like White Elephants

À 
 
1. ×ime Most likely in the 1920s (which is around the same time period the story
was written)

2. Place ×he valley of Ebro, in a bar near to the train station. Most likely in Spain.

½


   ×hird person limited.

     



Ñ Submissive
×he girl / Jig Ñ Gontemplating (about the abortion)
Ñ Gryptic, indirect
Ñ ×ravel-worn
Ñ Graving for stability in life
Ñ Physically and mentally trapped in a
meaningless relationship
Ñ Easily irritated, fed-up
Ñ Secretive, does not express true feelings

×he man Ñ uominating presence

Ñ rrational
Ñ Superficial
Ñ ^o respect for the miracle of life
Ñ Hedonistic lifestyle
Ñ Persuasive
Ñ uetermined



 
Ñ -uilt within the girl for wanting to abort the baby
1. nternal Ñ ×he girl͛s yearning to settle down and start a family v.s. the
hedonistic lifestyle led by the girl and the man who are constantly
travelling
Ñ ×he strain in the couple͛s relationship (What would happen if Jig
refused to abort the baby? Would the man leave her then? Or
would he keep his promise and take responsibility as a father?)

2. External Ñ ×he girl and the man͛s argument about whether or not to abort the
baby

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1. Glimax Ñ ×he part whereby the man mentions the operation ( the abortion)
 
 
  



 



 




From this point onwards, the story͛s tone changes from that of a
carefree, rugged pace to that of a serious and quarrelsome mood.

By: Leong Qing Yi 2011

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2. Resolution Ñ ×he girl finally gets irritated at the man͛s dogged persuasion about
the abortion. n a fit of resoluteness and submission, she decides to
abort the baby. Her decision consumes her with guilt, thus she
refuses to talk about the matter anymore as a sign of silent
rebellion. ×he man tries to move on by taking the suitcases to the
other tracks, as if nothing had happened. However, even though
outwardly everything seems to be the same, both the man and the
girl realise that this is a turning point in their life that they will
always remember and might come to regret sometime later in life.
t is a decision that they cannot undo, and the magnitude of their
sacrifice will haunt them for as long as they live.

  Ñ ×he lost innocence and beauty of a hedonistic lifestyle

Ñ bortion
Ñ Men͛s dominance over women
Ñ ×he rash, irresponsible decisions made by young adults
Ñ ×aboo subjects that are spoken of but never admitted in polite
society

By: Leong Qing Yi 2011