“Hills like white elephants” is a heartbreaking story about two beloveds who are going to make a fatal decision in their lives. This story depicts a couple whose relationship has poorly changed because of the woman’s unexpected pregnancy. The pregnancy implies the end of their frivolous life full of pleasure and traveling. The man tries to persuade his partner to have an abortion, as a would-be-child will interfere with his life of pleasure-seeking. To depict two characters standing out on that proverbial highway, wondering what is going to come of their lives, the author uses playful, regretful, persuasive, and sarcastic tones. At the end of the story, the narrator uses a playful tone to describe a lovely couple taking some drinks at the station. This couple seems pretty nice traveling far and wide and permitting themselves to drink alcoholic beverages. As the conversation starts, a reader might grab the tense atmosphere hovering above these people, sinking in hopelessness.
Obviously, the main characters are in a devastating position, as the woman wants to leave a child, but the man does not. The author resorts to a regretful tone when the woman asks her lover: “And if I do it you will be happy and things will be like they were and you will love me” (Hemingway, 1927, p.2)? The woman wonders if this operation will make her partner love her. She does not know if he will appreciate her sacrifice. The author uses a persuasive tone to force the woman into making this operation, as the male protagonist always says that this operation is quite simple. After it, everything will return to the track, and they will be happy again. At the end of the story, the author uses a sarcastic tone referring to the last phrase uttered by the woman: “there is nothing wrong with me. I feel fine” (Hemingway, 1927, p.4). The narrator depicts the way the girl feels; she is sure that the abortion is a blunder that will ruin their lives.
Reference
Hemingway, E. (1927). Hills like white elephants. General Press.