Hills Like White Elephants - (Reflective)

To be honest, when I first read "Hills Like White Elephants" I didn't think there was much to the story, but boy was I wrong. It wasn't until we began talking about it in class that I realized just how much depth was there. I realize now that as my teacher says, "Art conceals art." The beauty of Hills Like White Elephants didn't come through until I read it a second time after our class discussion. In class some people felt for the American in the story. They thought he seemed like a genuinely nice guy who was concerned for Jig's feelings and well-being. I of course had not felt that way during my first reading. Because this is such a modern piece of literature it has embedded pauses, layered meanings and much ambiguity due to the fact their are no tags labeling the dialogue. This leaves so much of the story up for debate and interpretation. There are times when you don't even know who is necessarily speaking, let alone the tone in which they are speaking. It wasn't until after the discussion in class that I decided to try and look at the story differently. I had a negative view of the American and felt like he was subtly manipulative and really didn't want anything to do with a baby that may hinder his current comfortable way of living. But there were many men in class who said they felt like the American was sincere. When we read the story a second time through in class I tried to see it through their perspective and it really made a difference in interpretation. Depending on how you read the story and what tone you chose to attach to which dialogue, the story had a different feel. It all depends on your perception, much like in life. I hadn't particularly loved the story on my first read, but after we discussed the symbolism of the setting and looked closer at the scene, I really began to admire this piece of literature. It is so open ended, and I liked that about it. It never told you anything, but let you use your imagination.The first read, I saw the story ending with a decision that had yet to be made, but I felt like it would end up negative. However, the second time through I tried to read it a different way, and felt like the couple would end up keeping the baby. Either way you read it, it is fascinating to think about all that can be said by saying very little.