All throughout the man and women’s conversation the tension seemed to build and build. It is like they use to be happy and were enjoying their relationship until something unexpected came about. During the conversation the man is trying to get the women to undergo an operation. He tells the women that he would not want her to have the surgery if she does not really want it but repeatedly asks her to have it. It appears that they have been in a long term relationship now from comments like, “That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy.” (Hemingway 3) From interpreting their conversation, the women has found out that she is pregnant and the man wants her to have an abortion. The women does not appear to be totally on board with that plan though. It does not really say why the man does not want to have a child, but he thinks that all their problems in their relationship are due to the fact that she is now pregnant. Usually when a couple has a child together it brings them closer to each other but not in this case. Concluding from the text it is my opinion that the man and women are fighting over to have an abortion or not.

It is really hard to say for sure what truly is going on in this story because of Hemingway’s unique style of writing. He writes a very vague and broad way. Never really giving away too much information. But, by the couples’ awkward small talk at the beginning of the conversation, the reader can identify that there is an issue between the two right away. The two order drinks like usual but when the women brought up that the hill side resembled white elephants the man snapped back and they started arguing. It was easy to tell early on in the story that there was a big conflict. The man offered to get another drink and even one after that before he brought up any operation. Maybe he wanted to get the women to have a few alcoholic drinks before he brought up the issue. 

The man never specifically tells us what it is that he wants the girl to have done, but he does give us some clues to decide for ourselves. After a few drinks and some more awkward conversation the man finally says, “It’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig. It’s not really an operation at all.” The man is already trying to talk the girl into doing the surgery. By the way he phrased it the reader can infer that the couple have already discussed the operation. The women did not say anything afterwards. She does not seem to be too willing to have the operation. I do not know why the women being pregnant is such a huge deal and making the couple so unhappy though. It seems as though they have been together a little bit so if they are serious about each other then they should want a child and to start a family. The only reasons I would see not wanting a child would be if they did not want any child ever or maybe their jobs prevent them from being able to be a fully invested parent. 

The man always said that he did not want the girl to undergo the operation if she was not comfortable and he would go through with having the child if it meant anything to her. One time the women called him out on that. She asked if it meant anything to the man. She said they could get along. She might look at this as her way to get closer with the man. But, the man was not having any of that. Even though he said he did not want her to have the surgery if she did not want to, he did not mean it. He kept bringing up the operation. Twice the women even asked him to stop talking. At one point she said she would scream if he did not stop talking. It seemed obvious now. In my eyes it seems that the man just does not want to have a child with this woman and will leave her after the operation is completed. He says everything will go back to the way they use to but I do not believe he will even be around at that point if she does not in fact get the operation. 
