The American wants to continue is life the way it is now and by the girl having an abortion would solve their problems. When he looks at their bags he sees all the stickers of the places they have been and knows that he still wants to continue that way of life but with a baby its not possible. He tells her " We'll be fine afterwards. Just like before". She although asks, " What makes you think that", because she is starting to doubt his intentions. He also goes to say, "That's the only thing that bothers us. It's the only thing that has made us unhappy". The man believes that by getting an abortion it will get rid of the unhappiness. As for her it means responsibility and a future for them and an end to the unsteadiness in her life. She makes the comment that "Everything tastes of licorice. Especially things you have waite

I think that Hemingway used all the different items in the story as symbolically so express how the girl was feeling. The dialog tells us more about story and drives the story more than the narrative but the tells us what the characters are looking at when they feel pressured or have stopped talking. Like when Jig sees growth " on the other side" of the Zaragoza station, the American looks at the suitcases bearing stickers of where they "spent nights". The narrative also tells us that Jig holds two strands of beads in here hands from the curtain, but why only two. Did it represent her two choices? This leaves the reader wondering why she's smiling at the end.

The man continually tries to make his point that an abortion would be the best thing for both of them and their relationship. He begins to say "All right. But you've got to realize---"and she cuts him off by saying, "I realize". " Can't we maybe stop talking?" At this point she is upset and sick of talking about it. She looks out at the hills. This shows her wanting to get off the subject maybe feeling pressured about making a decision by the time the train comes. He puts the pressure on because he has to know whether or not they are getting on that train to get the "simple operation" and if that will determine if they last as a couple. She obviously loves him more and thinks that this relationship is more than he does. She must wonder that if

Some common words found in the essay are:
Hemingway's Hills, white elephants, hills white elephants, hills white, makes comment, don't don't, narrative tells, wouldn't baby, continue life,
Approximate Word count = 959
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)