When you hear the title "Hills Like White Elephants", what comes to mind? Perhaps a visual representation of huge white hills or perhaps something that appears to be an elephant. Indeed, there are such things as white elephants. White elephants are considered sacred and rare in nature. The story “Hills Like White Elephants” by Earnest Hemmingway is told through a conversation between an American man and a woman named Jig. The two are waiting for a train to Madrid and while they wait a conversation sparks between them about a difficult decision to make. Hemmingway's tale can be viewed through the critical lens of formalism. Formalism is a literary theory that focuses on the context of the story and/or literary work, making the context of the story clear and understandable. The use of formalism involves taking aspects such as symbolism, tone, characters, and structure to create the overall meaning behind the story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Geography plays an important role in literature. Geography can develop characters, it can be part of the plot, symbol, mood, tone and/or symbol (Foster). The geography in this story shows the positive and uplifting side of the situation in question, but it also shows the downfall and negativity. The setting contributes to the conflict and tension between the couple, showing the literal and figurative aspects of the situation (O'Brien). The station, an important attribute, was located between two lines of tracks in the sun, it seemed to me that it represented the two different points of view of the operation. . The couple sits facing the side of the valley where there are no trees, there is countryside in the distance which is brown and very much in need of water. On the opposite side of the valley there are "wheat fields and trees along the banks of the Ebro". But as she watches the scene, “the shadow of a cloud moved across the cornfield,” foreshadowing the death of her unborn child (Johnston). It also seems to me that when the girl said that the hills looked like white elephants, she was looking at the hills as if they were beautiful in every way, something sacred and so generous to the earth. Meanwhile he feels the same thing about the decision he has to make. She feels that there would be no change between her and that man feels that they can still love each other equally. As for the boy when he claims he's never seen a white elephant, I got the feeling he didn't see the hills the way she did, as if he didn't care as much as she did about him. to be the person who pushes the girl to go ahead with the surgery, he doesn't want the change, I really believe he feels that if she doesn't go ahead with the surgery, their relationship will never be the same and he doesn't. I don't want to be there when something happens. Another thing to keep in mind is the cultural aspect of the setting. Hemmingway placed his story in Spanish territory. It might be a little ironic that Hemmingway placed his characters in this setting. Most Spanish speaking countries are mostly Catholic countries, which means they don't agree with abortion. “However, the girl does not understand Spanish, which helps reveal her essential helplessness and dependence. She is a stranger in a strange land where her male companion is her only interpreter and guide. Their luggage shows that they are not from the area and also suggests that they have two options once they leave the station. They can go to Madrid and start a family or go to the same place and have an abortion.