"It's Really a Simple Operation"
             The theme in "Hills Like White Elephants" is how men and women relate to each other in the face of choices and consequences. The relationship that the girl and the American have is at a very fragile point right now and if the wrong thing is said it could ruin the whole relationship. The American has to be careful with his wording during the story so he can get what he wants but does not push the girl away forever. The girl has to hold her ground and states how she feels so she can have equal footing in this relationship.
             Before we learn about the location of the story the reader is a symbol that only can be decoded after the story is read a few times. There was a curtain made of stings of bamboo beads hung across the open door into the bar, to keep flies out. The mention of the curtain to keep flies out shows that something is going to be unwanted by the characters during the story. The curtain also shows how Jig and the American are separated from the other people since they sit outside and what protects them from the others is the beaded curtain.
             Each of the characters has different ideas and thoughts. Having the location for the story at a train station shows the opposing views by having the track split their thoughts. One side of the train station it is dry and barren, on the other side there is vegetation, fields of grain and a river. Jig is in the mindset of the side filled with vegetation while the American is the dry and barren one.
             Jig takes her hat off as they sit at the table; this shows that she is ready to speak her mind. Her thoughts are cut short by the American by him saying, "It's pretty hot." He does not want to get into a deep discussion with her at that moment. Jig asks for a drink she has never had before, instead of just having the drink she asks for the opinion of the American on how it would taste, "Is it good...