The use of alcohol serves an important purpose in the story, “Hills Like White Elephants.” Drinking alcohol serves many purposes in the story. One of the main characters, Jig, has an important decision to make with the help of the American man. The couple has the difficult decision of whether or not Jig should have an abortion. Jig and the Man form different opinions of what they think needs to be done. However, they never have the time or motivation to talk about it. Through the consumption of alcohol, the couple finds it easier to discuss the topic of abortion.  Alcohol is important in the purity of the couple’s opinions and decisions. 

The first thing the couple does when they arrive at a bar in Madrid is order a drink. Hemingway writes, “The woman brought two glasses on the table and looked at the man and the girl. The girl was looking off at the line of the hills” (527). Jig knows there is an important decision that needs to be discussed with the American man. Looking off at the hills symbolizes Jig waiting for the beer to arrive before her and the Man other begin discussing the important topic of abortion. While the couple waits for their drinks to arrive, Jig sees a painting on the beaded a curtain that read, “Anis Del Toro.” Jig responds by asking the Man, “Could we try it?” (528). Jig’s desire to try new drinks can symbolize her desire to try new things in life. Therefore, the reader can assume that Jig does not want to have the abortion and wants to keep the baby. However, she does not want go behind the Man’s back and make a decision he will not be happy with.

After taking a look at all the different drinks sold at the bar, the couple decides they want to try the Anis Del Toro with water: 

“It tastes like licorice,” the girl said and put the glass down.

“That’s the way with everything.”

“Yes,” said the girl. Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe” (528).

The drink represents a bittersweet moment in the couple’s life. Licorice is a sweet candy and absinthe is a bitter drink. Licorice and absinthe put together is bittersweet. Jig compares the taste of the drink to moments that are meant to be bittersweet in life such as pregnancy. Pregnancy is bittersweet because it brings cheerful and happy thoughts to a man and wife, but instead, brings stress and conflict to Jig and the man. The use of alcohol conveys Jig’s thoughts on having the abortion. 

Jig’s choice to try new drinks shows that she has interest in stepping out of her comfort zone and trying new things in life. Hemingway writes, “I wanted to try this new drink. That’s all we do, isn't it—look at things and try new drinks?” (528). Jig wants to face her problems but she wants to make sure the Man is up for the challenge as well. She assures the Man that it is ideal to accept challenges in life. The thought to try new drinks can symbolize the acceptance of life and what it has to offer, even if it means going against ones own comfort zone. Not every drink is going to be sweet, but it is always worth a try. The use of alcohol accurately shows how every decision one makes in life may not always seem like the best choice, but one will never know unless they try.

Another important moment the couple references alcohol is when they decide to have the abortion. Before the operation, Jig asks, “Could we have another beer?” (530). Drinking a beer symbolizes calmness and clarity in the decisions the couple has to make. Alcohol is calms the characters down and allows them to see the deeper meaning of life and how that influences their decisions. The author compares Jig’s operation to drinks at a bar in order to ease any tension that may be left after the couple makes an important decision. Hemingway writes, “The woman came out through the curtains with two glasses of beer and put them down on damp felt pad” (530). The two glasses of beer creates a sense of peace in Jig’s mind. The author use beer to ease any stress and tension left after the couple choses to have the operation. The Man suggests they visit the bar after the operation is over to signify their independence from the situation. He said, “All right. Then come back and we’ll finish the beer. Coming back, he walked through the ballroom, where people were waiting for the  train…He drank an Anis at the bar…” (530). The man drinks a beer at the end to symbolize  freedom and a clear mind that was earned after the operation is done.

Some may say the use of alcohol in the story is just for pleasure and has a negative effect on the characters and the decisions they make. Instead of the beers used to create a sense of calmness and purity in the couple’s decisions, the beers create a sense of addiction and restlessness that prevents the couple from making an important decision. In the middle of when the couple tries to have a conversation about the abortion, Jig brings up beer:

“Should we have another drink?”

“Ali right.”

“The beer’s nice and cool,” the man said.

“It’s lovely,” the girl said.

“Its’s really an awfully simple operation, Jig,” the man said (528).

Beer creates a distraction when the couple tries to discuss the topic of abortion. The couple may be addicts to the taste of beer which prevents them from differentiating what is and what is not important. The use of alcohol may have been the reason that the couple has a difficult time with making a decision. However, the couple still decides to order another drink because it gives them more time to think and make the right decision. The girl said, “Could we have another beer?” (530). Jig has an addiction to beer that she cannot concentrate on the important things in life. Before the operation, she asks the Man if they can have one more beer. The Man responds by saying that they will celebrate with beers after the operation is over and Jig agrees to it. The couple uses beer to isolate themselves from the world and their addiction to beer causes them to make wrongful decisions without thinking.

The use of alcohol in “Hills Like White Elephants” plays an important role in describing the situation the characters are put in and how they chose to deal with their situation. Jig and the Man have to decide if she should have an abortion or not. Alcohol seems to be the only thing in their lives that put the couple at ease and allows them to calmly and peacefully discuss their thoughts and ideas on having the abortion. Travel also plays a role in the couple’s decision-making process, because they would have to travel to someplace else if they decided to have the abortion. Some may say alcohol is a distractor and an addiction in the couple’s life that prevents them from making the correct decision; however, there is more evidence to support the claim that the use of alcohol creates a sense of purity in the couple’s decisions and affects them positively. 