Hills Like White Elephants: a Dissection of the Setting

The opening lines are carefully chosen to describe the setting of the story. It is a way to prepare the reader, for the conflict that engulfs the plot. The author gives the description of two opposite landscapes on the either side of the track. “The hills across the valley of the Ebro were long and white” (Hemingway, 164). This opening sentence gives the valley such a delicate and almost feminine description. The author goes on to describe the image as having, “Fields of grain and trees along the banks” (166). This gives the field fertility, which is a symbol of life and hapine

The image of natural beauty and fertility, is also a reflection on the personality of the girl. We know this because later in the story, she compares what she sees to white elephants. Her comparisons of the hills to these fantastic characters, gives us a glimpse of her subconscious. She allows the reader to see that instead of just describing the other side of the tracks, she visualized it as a beautiful romantic image. This reveals a lot about the girl’s personality, giving her genuine and womanly characteristics.

Similarly the setting of the story “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, makes the story more interesting and suspenseful. The story starts out in a puzzling way, keeping the reader wondering what was going to happen to these people at the square. The main setting, the square, is an ingenious way to keep the reader guessing. It remains neutral throughout the story but still gives a mental picture of the tension surrounding all the citizens of the town. Although the reader is not aware of the horrible fate that follows the lottery ‘winner’, the tension surrounding the square foreshadowed the proceedings.

The opening paragraph is a beautiful description of the weather, which seems to contradict the terrible event that is about to take place. The author describes the morning as “Clear and sunny, with fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were growing profusely and the grass was rich and green”(Jackson, 235). This description creates a beautiful and happy picture to the reader and does not let them i

Some topics in this essay:
Ernest Hemingway, Shirley Jackson, Halloween Program”236, American Throughout, White Elephants, setting story, main characters, hemingway setting, tradition author, throughout story, dry unfertile, white elephants, description weather, author reader, create image,