Thread: Hills Like White Elephants by Hemingway

Has anyone else read this crazy, ingenious little piece by E. Hemingway? If not I highly suggest it...the number symbolism and contrats will blow your mind!

I've read it, and I repeatedly point it out as the greatest example of dialogue I have ever read.

I often say Hemingway was a great writer of dialogue, on the basis of this story.

Hemingway hated the idea of readers finding symbols in his work.

Really? That's funny, since even professors and such are analyzing the story. I'll have to tell my teacher...I just found out that Hemingway wasn't too fond of adverbs.

The parody sounds pretty funny and gross at the same time. I'll look out for it, if you post it on here!

Hate to say it, but I find Hemingway insufferable.

It is a great story. You should buy the complete short stories. Some of my other favorites are
The Short Happy Life of Francis MacomberFor some reason I am partial to this one.
A Clean, Well Lighted Place
There are plenty more good ones in there as well.

Hemingway said of The Old Man and the Sea

"There isn't any symbolism. The sea is the sea. The old man is an old man. The boy is a boy and the fish is a fish. The shark are all sharks no better and no worse. All the symbolism that people say is shit. What goes beyond is what you see beyond when you know. "

My personal opinion is that Hemingway despised the act of dissecting the story. I believe that Hemingway used "symbolism" more as a means to create a feeling rather than to be specifically symbolic. I think that it is meant in a more subconcious way.

For the one who said Hemingway is insufferable, you should read The Old Man and the Sea. I've loaned it to people who don't usually read at all and they have enjoyed it.

Heminggay's boring.

I am indifferent towards Hemingway's work. The Old Man and the Sea is a good book (I read that in 3rd grade), but I had a little trouble following The Sun Also Rises. I am definately willing to read more of his work as I like the writing style, maybe just not the content, any other Hemingway suggestions?

Thanks Starr... That would definately explain why it is so unlike the other book. And the content, I just found there was no real meaning, and it didn't seem to end with any finality whatsoever. I have heard of the other books, looks like another excuse to go to Powell's City of Books. I love that store!

I've actually studied 'Hills...' and wrote an essay on it. I wouldn't touch his novels with George Bush's dick, though. My partner has read The Old Man and the Sea and she said that it's horribly boring. Then again, Hemingway strikes me as a very masculine writer, so who knows.

I though Ernie was a wifebeater and a drunk, myself.

Originally Posted by strangedaze

I though Ernie was a wifebeater and a drunk, myself.

How does tnat effect he quality of his writing?

Ha...I just wrote an essay on "Hills.." and got a 95! I've read Old Man and the Sea and thought it was boring as well. Although I will pick up the collection of short stories. I think that's more my style.

I'm really surprised at the opinions of TOMATS. I still feel that it is one of the best works I have ever read. I've read it at least four times and have never found it boring. There is a lot there, both in story and quality of writing.
Regards,
Skylor

There you go again, swinging that tired old line I was just pointing it out, is all. I could care less about his abusive behavior; a lot of writers whose work I enjoy reading were abusive pricks anyway. A comment was made about him being a sensitive man, so I thought I'd share. So to answer Talia's question, if you beat your wife and drink then you can never be a good or popular writer, ever, and that your fiction will be mired in mediocrity until the day you die and for centuries thereafter. Or not. I guess it doesn't have anything to do with his writing, directly, anyway, unless it somehow served for fodder. But only he'd know that. And he's dead. I'm rambling. It's Friday.