Exploring the Iceberg: In Hills like White Elephants, Hemingways austere syntax consists mainly of short dialogue and undetailed descriptions

You are sitting restless on a bench, constantly checking your watch and waiting impatiently for your train to arrive. You are entirely consumed by and dreading the never-ending list of tasks to be completed before day’s end. The day’s itinerary begins to spin on a reel in your mind when suddenly a soft feminine voice breaks your concentration.  It seems to have drifted over from your left--young, shaky, and unsure. Without thinking, you strain your ears to hear what she has to say but her thought finishes all too quickly. You silently scold yourself for being so nosey and resolve to return to your own thoughts--but then a male voice echoes from the same direction.  You are unsure what compels you to listen but you feel you must.  His voice is more confident than hers but not aggressively so; you hear what he says followed by her reply but cannot seem to make any reasonable sense of it all. Their language is vague and untelling but somehow you know the matter they discuss is of infinite importance to them. Your neck aches with tension, you want very much to turn and gaze upon the mysterious couple. Wait, stop. You scold yourself again. How unforgivably rude it would be to turn a prying eye upon them; merely listening feels invasive enough.  

This is the position into which Ernest Hemingway, author of “Hills like White Elephants”, thrusts his readers—an outsider with minimal knowledge of the circumstances of his characters.  He offers no revealing details, no intimate peek behind the curtains of a character’s mind and thoughts.  As a consequence of his minimalistic style, the reader is forced to rely almost entirely on the story’s short and vague dialogue, deducing what they can of the language and tone of characters to arrive at their own conclusions. 

In “Hills like White Elephants”, Hemingway’s austere syntax consists mainly of short dialogue and undetailed descriptions.  The brevity of the statements made by the characters holds the reader’s attention and exposes the awkward and uncomfortable nature of the conversation they are having. Though little has been said or confirmed in words, there is an obvious depth to the conversation lurking beneath the deceptively simple surface.  The shortness of the sentences reveals that each character is either choosing their words carefully or is afraid to speak their mind at all, afraid of saying or revealing their true thoughts to which the other might oppose.   After all, abortion has been a touchy and taboo subject for decades. Both characters struggle with what the “right thing” may be and are trying to fulfill what they perceive to be natural responsibilities.  As exemplified in line 30, the female (nicknamed Jig) believes it is essential to their happiness that she be selfless when considering the daunting option of abortion. Her statement is short and blunt, “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.”.  Jig has forced herself to act without influence of emotion and to not consider alternate possibilities to the operation. Hemingway does not expand her statement to include greater description or substantial explanation because Jig herself is not entirely clear on the exact repercussions and details of the circumstance she has found herself in. She only wants to believe that she is doing the right thing—protecting her relationship and their collective happiness. There is a certain degree of finality in the shortness of what she says that makes further exploration and questioning of options impossible.  After struggling so long with her own conscience and the morality of ending another life before it has had a chance to begin, she concedes to the pressure and manipulation of the male.  It is easier for her to try and play down the magnitude of the situation rather than deal with the harsh reality of her actions and the subsequent consequences.  

However easy it is to vilify the female for abandoning her maternal instinct and her perceived duty to their unborn child, it is even easier to resent the male for persuading her to do so.   He uses manipulation and reverse psychology to coerce the female into believing abortion is the only reasonable option. As evident in his word choice,  the male attempts to make light of a life or death decision.  In line 1, he refers to abortion as a “simple operation”…referring to the termination of life as “simple” is surely a disgraceful injustice.   He is trying desperately to rid himself of the responsibility and burdensome lifestyle that accompanies the birth of a child.  In order to minimize the reality of the situation he must convince Jig that they are doing the right thing, that this is the only way for them to be happy, that after the operation life will be as it was before—careless, cheerful, and full of possibility.  To him, it is obvious that a “simple” abortion would release them of all their worries and responsibility. “‘That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy.’”  In this line he refers to the pregnancy as an “it” and in previous lines also refers to the abortion as “it”.  Such a simple pronoun is rarely used in substitution for such powerful concepts.  This word choice emphasizes his emotional detachment and immaturity in relation to the mistake they have made; he does not understand the long term effects such a dramatic decision will have on Jig and their future together.  His decision to use the word “it” may also indicate he is uncomfortable with saying the word “abortion” out loud, suggesting that he is subconsciously aware of the shame associated with it.  As a consequence of his, the reader views him as an insensitive and manipulative antagonist who taints Jig’s innocence and perception of the situation by trivializing the abortion with despicable words like “simple”.  

As a result of “Hills Like White Elephants” dependency on dialogue, the narrator does not contribute much to the story apart from basic scenery details that do not lend much to meaning or plot.  The tone of the characters creates the overall mood of the story and alerts the reader to the unnatural aspects of the story itself.   On the surface, Jig is calm and in control of her emotions; yet there appears to be a sort of vague sadness present in her as she seeks constant reassurance and support from her partner.  He, in turn, is determined to provide this reassurance with a confidently rational voice so that she feels comfortable enough to proceed with the abortion and untangle the unhappy mess created by their carelessness.  Both characters, however desperate and terrified they actually are, manage to maintain a certain degree of control over their physical demeanor and emotions. Whether it is for their own benefit, the benefit of their partner, or the benefit of their public image, they subdue themselves into a generally calm state that is independent of emotions. Emotions which would eventually expose a more sensitive aspect of the conversation they’re having, forcing them to directly address the magnitude of the decision they must make.  Though the tension is nearly palpable, neither character loses composure. However, after a frustrating lack of communication and misunderstanding, both are subdued into an apathetic and resigned state which provides little closure and leaves the reader with a heavy heart.

Hemingway was once quoted saying this of his writing style: “If it is any use to know it, I always try to write on the principle of the iceberg. There are seven-eighths of it under water for every part that shows.”  On the surface, “Hills Like White Elephants” is an incredibly simple story with confusing dialogue and a frustrating lack of detail.   Only upon close examination can the reader uncover the actual subject of their conversation—abortion.   Though Hemingway provides little characterization of the couple, their lack of communication and obvious discomfort with the nature of the conversation reveal much about their inability to cope with responsibility and change.    However frustrating interpretation may be initially, discovering the “submerged” aspects of Hemingway’s style provides the reader with a rewarding sense of accomplishment.