In the story "Hills Like White Elephants,"" Ernest Hemingway touches a delicate subject, i. In the story there are two main characters: a couple, a man with no name - simply called the American, and a girl named Jig. They are talking about a baby they are expecting and the man's wish not to keep him or her, though the words baby and abortion are not used. However there are many symbols that lead a reader to a realization about what they are discussing. In focusing on this issue, Hemingway expressed a powerful feminist theme. .
The story takes place at a train station in Ebro River Valley in Spain "a symbol of the word embryo." At the beginning, the reader is introduced to the barren landscape around the train station across the valley, where the couple is sitting at a table. They are waiting for the train to Madrid to come. It is very hot, so they order a drink. Already through this mere act, we can see how dominant the man is and how submissive the girl is. She immediately asks him what are they going to drink, and with this her submissiveness is shown. The American orders for both of them, not letting her to choose, which is perfectly fine with her. Then, while drinking beer, Jig looks at a line of hills and says: "They look like white elephants"" (Hemingway, Hills Like White Elephants"). This is one of the many symbols in this story. With this line the girl is referring to her pregnancy, to the unborn child; she means that the hills look like a pregnant woman. Then Jig "further reinforces her passive nature by requesting permission from her boyfriend to try (Fighting For Feminism with a Fetus: Hills Like White Elephants") a new drink. She even allows him to decide how she is going to drink it " with water. .
This is just the beginning of the controlling manner by the American. His oppressive nature is best reflected when he tries to convince her into having an abortion, saying: "It's really an awfully simple operation"" (Hemingway, Hills Like White Elephants").