Hills like white elephants

1、AUTHORAUTHORSTORYSTORYAdd Add Y Your Title Hereour Title HereAdd Add Y Your Title Hereour Title HereWRITINGWRITINGSTYLESTYLEBornJuly 21, 1899Oak Park, Illinois, U.S.DiedJuly 2, 1961 (aged 61)Ketchum, Idaho, U.S.Notable awardsPulitzer Prize for Fiction (1953)Nobel Prize in Literature (1954)Influence

2、His style :writers who came after him emulated it or avoided it. His economical and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Many of his works are considered classics of American literature.Childr

3、enJack, Patrick, Gregory Title:Lost GenerationAmerican novelist Short story writer JournalistHills like White elephantsHills like White elephantsPlaceat a train station in the Ebro River valley of Spain. Time settingnot given ;contemporary to the composition (1920s). Surroundingsthe scenery in the v

4、alley is barren and ugly for the most part. Characters man (referred to only as the American) female companion, called Jig.Contentdiscuss an operation that the man wants the woman to have, which is implied to be an abortion. The story focuses on a conversation between an American man and a girl at a

5、 train station.Part One: Mundane ConversationPart One: Mundane ConversationWhat should we drink. Lets drink beer. .They look like white elephants, Ive never seen one, the man drank his beer. Part Two: discuss an operationPart Two: discuss an operation Its really an awfully simple operation, Jig, Its

6、 not really an operation at all. I know you wouldnt mind it, Jig. Its really not anything. Its just to let the air in. The girl did not say anything. They just let the air in and then its all perfectly natural. Part Three: Part Three: Jig assented to the operation Jig assented to the operationThen I

7、ll do it. Because I dont care about me. What do you mean? I dont care about me. He picked up the two heavy bags Coming back, he walked through the bar-room, where people waiting for the trainDo you feel better? he asked. I feel fine, she said. Theres nothing wrong with me. I feel fine. Writing style

8、Writing styleThe unique Language Distinguished from many greatest American writers, Hemingway is renowned for his writing style of unique language. His style looks simple at first glance but subtle and delightful inside. Readers are often attracted by his individual characteristics of the language.(

9、a) one syllable or two syllables words are mostly used; (b) less adjectives and adverbials have been used;(c) the length and rhythm of his sentences are skillfully varied in different situations; (d) simple sentences outnumber complex sentences, and sentence connectors like and, but, then are used r

10、epeatedly in the novel to link most of the sentences. Iceberg TheoryIceberg Theory Hemingway uses a style that analysts call the “Iceberg Theory.” This is very evident in “Hills Like White Elephants.” His hard facts float above the water but most of the supporting structure, filled with symbolism, o

11、perates underwater. eg: “Its really an awfully simple operation, Jig,” the man said. ”Its not really an operation at all.” operation - abortionHillsHillsTitle: Hills like white elephantsbig otacle; the rounded enlargement of the girls stomach with a baby They look like white elephants,” she said. Iv

12、e never seen one, the man drank his beer. No, you wouldnt have. In this dialogue, the hills may symbolize big obstacles that we must climb, but they are not enormous mountains. This represents the fact that the girls baby is a major obstacle in her life, but it is not the end of her life and she wil

13、l make it through. The use of SymbolismThe use of SymbolismWhite elephantsWhite elephantsJigs reference to white elephants could be in regard to the baby.When the girl said: “They look like white elephants” she is implying that she has a baby. The hills are “lovely” and “bright” though “the country

14、was brown and dry” “There was no shade and no trees”. From these we can know that the baby is a beautiful thing to the girl, and brings her change and hope in life.The American could see the baby as a white elephant and not want to raise it because of the cost,free life while Jig could see the child

15、 as an extraordinary addition to her mundane life of drinking and mind-less traveling. White elephantsWhite elephantsThe white elephant is considered a scared animal by some cultures.Joseph DeFalco explains how the term reflects upon the man:“It not only means an annoyingly useless gift; it may also

16、 be a possession of great value. In this context the child symbolizes the mans inability to see that the child might provide a meaning to life which he lacks. ”Metropolis Connected by RailwaysMetropolis Connected by RailwaysThe cross of railways is a metaphor of the differences and conflicts between

17、 the lovers. This two modernized metropolis Barcelona and Madrid, represent the free and easy life of the two lovers. And it is also the symbol of the lost generations lifestyle wealthy, bustling with activities, but voi-d and pale. In the story, Hemingway used “the man” to represent the male charac

18、ter, while used “the girl ” to represent the female character, rather than “the woman”, which implies the conflict between them. The use of SymbolismThe use of SymbolismAns del Toro（茴香酒）: This represents the excitement the American offered Jig in the past. But it fails to stir her now.Liquorice and Absinthe（甘草和苦艾酒） : This represents the sweet and bitter of life.Baggage: This represents the past, which is the same as the future to the American. When he picks up the suitcases and carries them to the other side of the station, he is indicating