The Decision

The Decision

In the short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” Ernest Hemingway depicts the true difficulty and stress of abortion. The descriptive metaphors and imagery are vital to understanding the couple’s relationship and the main plot of this piece of writing. Hemingway captivates his audience with the characters’ conflicting viewpoints of abortion and the obvious relationship struggle that ensues. The tone in the story changes several times displaying the stress and permanent damage this decision has caused the relationship.
The story begins with vivid imagery and metaphors. The title, “Hills Like White Elephants” is a metaphor for the very difficult and unavoidable situation the couple must embark upon. This decision will be the main topic Hemingway focuses on. The couple is seated throughout most of this story on the side of the tracks that are barren and unfertile. This is where the conversation of the abortion is taking ...