Hemingway employs both his plot and symbolism to
further the theme of Doubt and Ambiguity. With only dialogue as the foundation for the
plot, the discussion between Jig and the man is unclear and unresolved. In his
minimalist style, Hemingway never mentions what the "it" is that the couple discuss as
they converse. Jig tells the man that things are "like white elephants," suggesting
that the baby she carries is symbolically a "white elephant" as are the distant
hills.
Thus, the setting is the chief source of symbols.
With the railroad tracks as symbolic of the divide between Jig who is romantic and
optimistic and the nameless man who is practical and coldly objective, one side of the
tracks has fertile land with vegetation while the other is barren. In the distance are
the hills which symbolize the dissention between the couple. They possess something
which is of no value anymore:
"Then what will we do afterwards?" [Jig
asks]
"We'll be fine afterwards. Just like we were
before."
"What makes you think
so?"
In the end, the man
says, "I'd better take the bags over to the other side of the station," indicating
symbolically that he is becoming alienated from her.
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