Merriam-Webster’s definition of a white elephant is “something that requires a lot of care and money and that gives little profit or enjoyment”. 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 fact that Jig may have an abortion. Hemingway is known for using iceberg style writing witch is when only ten percent of the meaning is prevalent in the text, the other ninety percent is up for the reader to interpret. Hemingway uses the iceberg style often in “Hills Like White Elephants” with symbols through out the book such as the Spanish railroad, the weather and the beverages the couple decides to drink. Hemingway uses the setting and objects in the story to symbolize the couple’s decision making in having to make this very difficult decision whether to have a baby or not.

Hemingway cleverly uses the symbol of the route of the railroad to symbolize Jigs decision. Jig is unfamiliar with the geography of Spain and is at a train station on her way to Madrid. Jig was in between Barcelona and was on her way to Madrid. “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 on her way to a city where she has never been similar to how having a baby is an experience she has never had. Jig’s journey to Madrid is symbolic of the journey she will take to the decision of being a mother, Hemingway chose the Spanish 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 probably decided not to go to Madrid, which is similar to if she got an abortion and never became a mother. Hemingway uses the junction as a symbol that represents her decision. That decision being when to get off the path to Madrid (or motherhood). Hemingway uses the stops on the railroad in Spain to symbolize the decision she has to make about her child.

While Jig and the American are waiting for the train they observe the land in the distance. Its is a very nice day except for a lone cloud in the sky, “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 perfect clear day in Spain with a perfectly clear sky except for a single lone cloud. The cloud can symbolize the only 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 getting an abortion.

Through out the conversation between Jig and the American they often order different drinks, during their conversation they ordered a total six drinks between the two of them and they were only at the train station for no more than minutes. 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) the couple can’t seem to find a drink that they like. 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. The drinks are meant to show how the couple skip around the topic of getting an abortion are not. When they speak about the abortion they speak about something else quickly to change the subject. Hemingway uses the sequence of the couple ordering multiple drinks to represent their difficulty to communicate about how to handle the baby they may or may not have.

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.