The Biblical Story of Adam and Eve has basic themes of purity, temptation and consequences for our actions. The story of Adam and Eve has many basic archetypes that can relate to everyday life. Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants relates to the biblical story of Adam and Eve through alcohol being the devil and temptation, the relationships of pure and dirty, and the operation being the forbidden fruit.

The story starts out with an American couple in Spain getting on a train. As the ride goes on they start to drink some alcohol. The girl mentions how the hills look like white elephants and the guy doesn’t agree and questions her. As they get closer to their destination on they keep ordering more alcohol. The guy keeps mentioning an operation that the girl should have and it makes her uncomfortable. This operation was never made clear but there are some heavy implications throughout the story .The more alcohol they drink the more the guy brings up the operation. The girl starts to feel uncomfortable and near the end the girl says the hills don’t look like elephants anymore. The more they drink the more their common perception of reality changes.

In the biblical story of Adam and Eve the more the snake tempts them, the more they start to think about the forbidden fruit. While in Hills like White Elephants after they have had many drinks the man persists that the operation is simple and that he loves her. He says “I think it’s the best thing to do. But I don’t want you to do it if you don’t really want to” (Hemingway 529) later the girl says that “But I don’t care about me. And I’ll do it and everything will be fine” (Hemingway 529). The man doesn’t feel supportive of her and it feels like he just wants her to have the operation. What the guy is saying doesn’t feel genuine and his word are manipulative .The girl is obviously not in support of it anymore and is not in a clear state. Her perception of the hills have changed at this point, the alcohol and temptation of the operation have changed her. The alcohol and temptation relate through that the more alcohol they have, the more the temptation of the operation is pushed by the man. The male is turned from a very basic nice character to a controlling and persistent character as he consumes alcohol.

In the biblical story of Adam and Eve there is a clear line of purity. While Hemingway uses clear language throughout the story to show how they have changed throughout the story. Both stories start with basic male and female characters. Hemingway portrayed the male as very masculine and controlling. The male tries to take control of the situation many times, while the female character is very indifferent in her responses but never says her true feelings. In the very beginning Hemingway starts the novel out by saying “The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun.” (Hemingway 527) In the beginning he starts by describing the area as white, there was no shade and everything is perfect and sets a clear and clean image. Anything described as white is commonly seen as pure and clean .The girl states that the hills look like white elephants. In the beginning of Adam and Eve they are still pure and have not sinned and have no original sin. As Hemingway’s story goes on it starts to change. As the man’s stance on the operation is set, the girl becomes uncomfortable and walks away. The man says “‘Come on back in the shade,’ he said. ‘You mustn’t feel that way.’” (Hemingway 530). Before the man had mentioned the operation everything was white and no shade. As the man mentions the operation the scenery changes to shade. He is trying to convince the girl to come to his side in the shade. The shade represents his point and the darker side of the situation. He tries to get her to come to her. While during Adam and Eve they are no longer pure when they realize they are naked and try to cover up.Just like the story of Adam and Eve there is a clear sign of when the characters go from pure to darker. Around this time the girl changes her mind that the hills don’t look like white elephants anymore showing that she isn’t the same as before.

In the story of Adam and Eve the devil tempts Eve to take the fruit and that it will enlighten her and she can have the same powers as God. In Hills Like White Elephants the man says “And we could have everything and every day we make it more possible. We can have everything. We can have the whole world. We can go everywhere” (Hemingway 530). Just like the devil, the man is promising power and control. The man portrays the operation to the girl as a way for power and happiness. The Forbidden fruit is portrayed by the devil as this power and you can be enlightened and that god doesn’t want you to have this. The man clearly states that they can have everything and go anywhere if the operation is done. He feels limited without it just like how the devil made Adam and Eve feel. Hemingway makes sure to never mention what this operation is. There are heavy indications that the operation is actually an abortion. When the story came out in 1927, the idea of abortion was viewed very negatively and was not accepted by society at the time. Even in this context an abortion is viewed as a very negative idea just like the forbidden fruit was. Hemingway grew up in a very religious household that held very strict values.

Hemingway loves to keep his characters basic and leave much up to the person reading. Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants relates to the biblical story of Adam and Eve through alcohol being the devil and temptation, the relationships of pure and dirty, and the operation being the forbidden fruit.