“Hills Like White Elephants”, is a short story by Ernest Hemingway. It was first published in August 1927, in the literary magazine Transition, then in the 1927 short story collection Men Without Women. “Hills Like White Elephants” tells the story of an American man and a woman who drink a few beers outside the station bar while waiting for the train to Barcelona. It tells how an irresponsible couple, not accustomed to serious communication, interacts in a poisoned relationship and tries to manipulate each other to get what they want. “Hills Like White Elephants” is an extraordinary example of human communication. The story describes a couple in crisis. point in their relationship, as they struggle to communicate their opposing views and the course their relationship should take. The ego prevents the couple from seeing each other's point of view. Although Jig seems somewhat submissive, both parties are strong-willed and consumed by the power of their ideas and it prevents them from understanding the other's point of view on the situation. When this happens, any possibility of compromise is lost. Not even halfway through the story, the couple starts arguing with each other. Jig: (the. hills) They look like white elephants, The American: I've never seen one, Jig: No, you wouldn't have. The American: I could have, just because you say I wouldn't have done it doesn't prove anything. (1)Immediately, tension builds between the two until the man says, "Oh, stop" (1), and then The American changes the subject. He's the one who starts the discussion by dismissing Jig's white elephant comment and bringing up abortion. The author makes the man be very selfish in wanting the girl to have surgery so he can keep his lifestyle out... middle of paper... safe to say neither of them wins the argument and there is no solution. Hemingway produced a thorough characterization of the couple and a clear and complete exposition of their dilemma using almost nothing other than dialogue. The title of the story has led many to speculate about what the “white elephant” symbolizes. Interestingly, “white elephant” is a term used to refer to something that requires a lot of care, producing little profit; like a relationship. A white elephant is generally considered unusual and cumbersome: better defined, in short, as a problem. Hemingway masks the real underlying problem of this couple by talking about abortion. It almost distracts the reader and encourages him to take sides: either about Jig or The American, when the problem was not in the operation, or in the child, but in his poor switching ability.