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"Hills like white elephants" is not only the title, but the overarching symbol (which is likely why Hemingway made this the title). Most people do not know the significance of white elephants but for those who do, understand that white elephants are rare, symbolizing strength, protection, and good luck, though are often gifted as a back-handed present, as the elephants are extremely high maintenance to care for and becomes the burden of the beholder. Hemingway uses this concept, connecting the girl's perception of "mountains/hills like white elephants" to the operation and possibly the "gift of life" bearing a child, as going to term would obviously impose a financial strain, as kids can oftentimes be expensive! A different interpretation for the white elephants could be that they represent reading between the lines, the trees being the "lines" and the elephants hiding within them, as the girl clarifies her perception of the hills' imagery.

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1. the trees, mountains, elephants, the drinks, the beads, the other people, nature.
2. nature is a big part of this story
3. irony would be that the guy keeps asking her what she wants to do and saying its her decision, when it kind of seems like he was pressuring her to do it in the beginning.

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A white elephant symbolizes something no one wants- in this story, the girl's unborn child. The girl's comment in the beginning of the story that the surrounding hills look like white elephants initially seems to be a casual, offhand remark, but it actually serves as a segue for her and the American to discuss the baby and the possibility of having an abortion.

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Some potential symbols that would fit with this story would be the hills, the color white, the train, and alcohol. The hills like white elephants represents the girl's pregnancy, and feminism. The color white could symbolize a blank slate, or a new beginning for the girl. It seems like they are waiting for the train and whether they are going to board the train. So, I think it represents some type of passage for the couple, whether its having the operation or not going through with it. Another strong symbol I noticed was with their alcohol usage whenever they tried to talk about the operation. It seemed that the man and the women were uncomfortable talking about their situation, so they would just order more drinks to sway the conversation another way. Also, it is somewhat ironic that the girl is maybe drinking alcohol when she is pregnant, and just a scary moment because the audience knows that's not right.

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When the girl talks about the elephants, it is symbolic for avoiding the conversation. Every time she talks about them, the American goes back on the subject of the operation. Similar to the "elephant in the room" thing. The alcohol sort of represents a distraction, since people drink to forget about their problems and you're not supposed to drink beer when you're pregnant because it could harm the baby. Maybe the girl knows she isn't supposed to drink but chooses to anyway because she doesn't like what has happened and the consequences of being pregnant at the wrong time. Maybe drinking is symbolic because she could be secretly harming the baby so it dies in her womb and she won't have to feel guilty about the operation since she could "miscarry" and it "would be nature's fault".

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Alcohol is used as a relief, it is a distraction for them, and a way to suppress their feelings. The bags could be a symbol for the burdens they carry, or the weight of a relationship and a child. The far away landscape is representative of the journey ahead of them and allows them to reflect on how far they've already come. The train shows them that time is running out.

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When people hear the term "White Elephant" they usually think of a gift exchange of objects without value. Is the term supposed to highlight the girl's pregnancy, and how the American wants her to abort it? They are also at a train station. I personally think the train station is meant to show the journey they will take, and the long road ahead of them.

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The relationship between the two characters represents the basic relationship between a man and a woman during this time.. In this story they used nature to represent the emotions of the characters. The nature is described as being beautiful and calm, whereas the people are conflicted and fearful of the decision they have to make. The irony of this story is that the man is influencing the woman's decision in order to make himself feel better, while potentially risking her happiness.

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1. Symbols
- Alcohol: Its the only relief that both the man and girl can find from their complicated relationship. A negative thing in the story because its just a distraction from reality.
- Light: There is the bright sun shining down and producing heat. Drying up the grass and the hills. Represents truth and honesty.
2. An element from How to Read Literature like a Professor is the use of nature to reflect a deeper meaning and symbolism.
3. The irony is that the man and the girl have been together for quit some time, obviously making love and then when the girl gets pregnant from such action the man no longer wants her or the baby.

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The white elephant is a gift that has no usefulness to the recipient, overall it symbolizes something no one wants. It is an important symbol to represent the perspective of the girl that the American is unable and unwilling to see. Another piece of symbolism would be the train tracks, representing the long endless journey.

An element from How to Read Literature like a Professor is the use of nature to reflect what is happening. The trees are tall and foreboding like the task that lay ahead of them.

The irony in this story is the fact that the man and woman have been traveling around together and making "love", but when the girl finds herself pregnant, the man doesn't want her to have the baby. They have always been together and are always together so why wouldn't he want to have a baby with her?

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The liquor is a symbol for drinking away their problems and is kind of a uh oh moment because the girl is drinking while she is pregnant, which is also ironic. The train can be a symbol for the baby which will eventually be born and depart from the mother and for the relationship the American and the girl have. The big trees can represent the fate/fear that hangs over them. Their luggage can be a symbol for what the man believes the baby will hold him and his relationship down due to the ¨weight¨ of the luggage/baby.

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There were a few things I noticed that could be symbols. First being the alcohol. It seemed as if they were avoiding the conversation by ordering more drinks. Similar situations happen in real life when people use alcohol to suppress their emotions. The characters in the story were using it to stall and procrastinate the "elephant in the room". Could the elephants be a symbols for that saying? When there's something obvious and interesting that everyone knows but is avoiding talking about, it is called the elephant in the room. Maybe the woman was trying to address the situation by saying the hills looked like white elephants. Something I was able to compare to How To Read Literature Like A Professor is the use of nature to convey emotions. At the end of the second page, he describes the beautiful scenery, but uses it to contrast the emotions of the couple. The nature is so calm and perfect, whereas they are feeling so conflicted and upset. They want this confusion to be over, and to feel more like the beautiful mountains and river in front of them.