Hills Like White Elephants

“The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white. On this side there was no shade and no trees and the station was between two lines of rails in the sun.”

These opening lines are a quick introduction to the setting. By describing the hills as white and emphasizing the lack of shade or any protection from the sun, Hemingway creates an impression of an inhospitable environment, barren and exposed. Setting the scene this way creates a hostile environment for Jig and the American in which to make their decision, and it offers a symbol of their current lifestyle and relationship.

“Everything tastes of liquorice. Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe.”

Absinthe was popularized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Paris and was popular among artists and in bohemian culture. It was purported to be mildly hallucinogenic and was even advertised as an aphrodisiac. Its preparation is involved and requires patience, much like waiting for tea to steep. It does, as Jig notes, taste of licorice, and she alludes to the disappointment that often follows anticipation and heightened expectations.

“That’s all we do, isn’t it—look at things and try new drinks?”

This rhetorical question shows Jig’s awareness of, and frustration with, their superficial lifestyle. Her dissatisfaction leads her to later consider how their life might be different if they decided to go through with the pregnancy.