In Hemingway's "Hills Like White Elephants," a couple has a conversation about abortion, which was something they both wanted. The couple, a man from America and the female from another country, where sitting in a train station in Spain. The couple has a thirty five-minute conversation on abortion, yet never mentions the word abortion. In 1920 abortion was a very barbaric process, and it was not approved of by the society.
In 1920 people did not worry about tomorrow. The only thing people worried about was today and how do I have fun. Once they were seated at the table the American said, "Let's drink beer." And the girl went a long with him knowing she was pregnant. The American did not want the girl to have the baby, and he made that clear by pressuring the girl. "It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig," "It's not really an operation at all." or "That's the only thing that bothers us. It's the only thing that made us unhappy." The American knew that his life would have to change if he became a father. The American did not want to slow his life down and take care of a baby. The girl loved the American, and figured that having a baby would maybe keep the two together.
The girl only got pregnant to keep the American, but when the girl realized that the American did not want the baby the girl did not want to keep the baby. The girl made that pretty clear by describing the mountains, "They look just like white elephants." White elephants are a metaphor for an unwanted gift. During the conversation she made several slick comments like "And if I do it you"ll be happy and things will be like they were and you"ll love me?" or "So have I," "And afterward they were all so happy." The girls knew sooner or later the American would get tried and go back home to America. The girl just figured that having a baby would keep them together no matter what. The couple was living the life, and no one would want to give that up, especially by force.
