Often times it is very difficult to speak about things that can harmful to a relationship. In the essay “Hills Like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway there are many subtle symbols that he uses to symbolize that there is a problem with Jig and the American not being able to fully address the elephant in the room, witch is the possibility of an abortion. Hemingway uses the Spanish railroad to symbolize the options that Jig has and the path that she will chose to take. The second is the way he uses to describe their decision is the weather and the geography of the area to symbolize Jigs decision. He even uses the way they drink their beverages to symbolize how they are indecisive about what they want to do with their unborn child. Hemingway uses the setting and objects in the story to symbolize the couples struggle to communicate and make a decision about having an abortion.

 The first example Hemingway uses to symbolize Jigs decision is the Spanish Railroad. Jig is unfamiliar with the culture of Spain and she is at a train station on her way to Madrid. She is uncomfortable with the culture in Spain and isn’t familiar with the area. “It was very hot and the express from Barcelona would come in forty minute. It stopped at the junction for two minutes and went on to Madrid,” (Carolina Reader 527). Jig is unfamiliar with the country of Spain just like how she is unfamiliar to life as a mother. She is on her way to Madrid, Hemingway chose the city of Madrid because it is very similar to the word Madre witch is Spanish for the word mother. The train stops at a junction right before it gets to Madrid, that junction symbolizes her abortion. If she gets off the train at that junction she will never make it to Madrid, which is similar to if she got an abortion and would never make it to motherhood. Hemingway uses the junction as a symbol that represents her decision. That decision being when to get off the path to Madrid or motherhood.

While Jig and the American are waiting for the train they observe the land. It is a very nice day except for one cloud, “The Shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the tress,” (Carolina Reader 529). It is a clear perfect day and there is nothing in the sky except for one cloud. The cloud can symbolize the only hindrance in the relationship between Jig and the American man witch is an abortion. The cloud represents the abortion and the field represents the life of the baby. However, the River may represent the life of the baby passing by like a stream. The cloud is passing over the field and is Heading towards the river, the clouds movement pattern represents Jig passing over the option to have a baby and go towards the river witch is the abortion. She has to look through the trees to see the river, that represents the difficulty to think about the abortion. Jigs sight of the river represents how it is difficult to think about the abortion.

Through out the conversation between Jig and the American they often order different drink, during there conversation they order three drinks. They talk a little bit and then “I wanted to try this new drink. That’s all we do, isn’t it-look at things and try new drinks?” (Carolina Reader 528) they seem to be ordering a large amount of drinks. They are always trying new drinks witch shows how they are indecisive. Them being indecisive about how to order a drink represents how they are indecisive about whether to get an abortion are not. Jig says all they do is look at things and try new drinks. I think that means that they skip around the topic of getting an abortion are not. When they speak about the abortion they speak about something else shortly after. Hemingway uses the sequence of have the couple ordering drinks to represent their thought process of how to handle the abortion.

Hemingway uses many symbols throughout the book to show how difficult it is for the couple to speak about getting an abortion. He uses the train in a very clever way to symbolize how the track heading to Madrid (motherhood) has a stop in front of it. He also uses a cloud in the sky to represent the darkness that may loom over them in the event they have an abortion. The sequence of the drinks they order and how they drink them symbolize how they are very indecisive in choosing what to do with the baby. Hemingway uses many symbols through out the book to show the struggle they have in their relationship.