By looking at the title of Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,” we can already analyze that Hemingway uses symbolism throughout this short story. Symbolism is one of the most common ways to explore a short story for meaning and understanding. There can be multiple ways to interpret a symbol in a piece of literature when thinking imaginatively. In “Hills Like White Elephants,” the most significant symbols that one can analyze are the landscape, the curtain, the luggage, and the metaphor about white elephants, which reveal the conflict between the American and Jig, and their inability to resolve their conflict. 

Hemingway’s short story focuses on a couple sitting outside a station’s bar in Spain, waiting for their train to arrive so they can travel to their next destination, Madrid. The man, known as the American, and the girl, known as Jig, are conflicted with whether or not to have an abortion. The story begins by explaining the landscape that surrounds the station that the American and Jig are at. The landscape on one side of the station includes white hills along with brown, dry land. This scenery shows that there is not much life. On the other side of the station, there are fields of grain and trees that border the river and mountains beyond. This land is increasingly bountiful and full of life. Each side of the station symbolizes her decision about whether or not she should have the abortion. Not only do the two sides symbolize the abortion, but how there are two sides to an argument. In this case, the couple both have different opinions on the abortion; she can decide to have the baby (create a new life) or have the abortion (destroy a new life). Furthermore, Hemingway describes a cloud that moves across the field of grain. This cloud could symbolize her decision. Clouds can be foggy in the same way that her mind is foggy about the decision. Clouds can move across the sky seemingly fast and with a purpose. When the operation is brought up, the American quickly starts pressuring Jig into getting it done and refuses to take no for an answer. He says she does not have to get the operation if she does not want to, but in a way that confirms he still wants her to do it. His persistence makes her feel weak and more indecisive about what to do with their conflict. 

After the introduction of the landscape, Hemingway quickly states there is a curtain made of strings of bamboo beads. It is a very quick and subtle description that seems to have little significance, but perhaps may have a symbolic meaning. The curtain in the doorway is used to separate two rooms, but also symbolizes the separation between the two. The pregnancy itself creates a curtain between the couple; Jig desires to have the baby and the American does not. Throughout the discussion of the operation, the American pesters Jig and continues to state his opinion despite her asking him to stop. The man also gets to walk through the curtain, while Jig does not. Because of his demeanor, his opinion seems to take precedence over the women’s opinion, which can further strengthen the conflict between them. 

The landscape and the curtain are both things that are already present when the couple is at the station, however their luggage is something they bring with themselves. Their luggage is a symbol of their traveling and all the places they have been together; it is all the baggage of their relationship they have accumulated. Hemingway mentions there are labels all over their luggage and this can indicate the journey they have had together that led them to this point. This is a set point in their lives and the decision they make (if they ever make one) can dictate the rest of their lives. Luggage is something you carry with you just like how the conflict between the American and Jig will forever be carried within them. Since they have different opinions, no matter the outcome, someone will be upset, and this conflict will forever be carried within them; the conflict will still be unresolved. 

Lastly, Jig mentions that the hills look like white elephants. Ernest Hemingway's use of the white elephant metaphor symbolizes something that no one wants. As Jig wants to have the baby while the mad does not, the couple’s white elephants are different and are the reason why issues are arising between them. Furthermore, the metaphor is like the expression, "the elephant in the room," which is usually something that is obviously true or there but is not being addressed. At first, when Jig points out that the hills look like white elephants, she is trying to say she wants to discuss with the operation with the American. Then, Jig says that the hills actually don't look like white elephant, meaning she doesn't want to talk about the operation anymore. The man doesn't react to this and ignores her hint. He keeps pushing to talk about the operation, but Jig tells him to stop talking. The metaphor also symbolizes how a conflict can often be ignored (similar to the elephant in the room) and therefore, it goes on being unanswered. The couple do talk about the issue at hand, but by the end of the short story, Jig plays off the conversation and says everything is fine. She ignores the conflict and it continues to be unresolved.

Throughout “Hills Like White Elephants,” each of the symbols are touched upon: the landscape, the curtain, the luggage, and the metaphor about white elephants. Each of these elements back up that the American and Jig have a conflict and it will go unresolved. The landscape symbolizes the that there are two sides to an argument, just like the couple both have their own side. Furthermore, the cloud shows that Jig’s decision is unclear, meaning the conflict will go unsettled. Not only can a couple become confused, but the curtain shows there can be a separation. As the story goes on, the couple seems to become more divided and “the curtain” ends up more like a wall between them. The luggage indicates that a major decision can decide where the journey of their relationship will take them next if they ever make a decision. Lastly, the white elephant metaphor symbolizes how the couple avoids this difficult decision and in the end they won’t know what to do. All of these symbols help indicate the conflict between the couple and their failure to find a resolution to their conflict. 

 