Today I
would like you to read Ernest Hemingway’s story, “Hills Like White Elephants.”
This is a
classic and is frequently used by English teachers as it makes for a great literary
analysis.
The link is
a bit annoying but scroll down and click read for free.
Before you
look online for an interpretation, do your best at finding the hidden meaning. Can
you figure this out without looking?
Here is what
I’m asking you to do:
1. Read the story first for pleasure.
2. Second reading should be an
investigation to see what is going on. It is rich with symbolism, so take notes
and pay attention to details such as the dry hills, bead curtain, and the station,
for example. Everything means something.
3. Draw and label a picture or diagram.
Where is everything? Get a layout of the land. We know we are in Spain. Why did
Hemingway choose this location?
4. Put the pieces together. This is hard
work. It will take some upper-level thinking and careful detective work.
5. Write a literary analysis. Put your
thoughts to paper. Plan your writing. You should have:
· A solid introduction
· Three main points
· A solid conclusion
Need help…Start
with something like this:
In Hemingway’s
short story “Hills Like White Elephants,” the author uses setting, imagery,
symbolism, and theme to help develop a story with deeper meanings.
Writing
an outline is key. Careful planning will lead to great success.
Assignment
for marks:
Write a 500
word (1-2 page) literary analysis of the story.
This
assignment is worth 18 marks
As usual,
email me with any questions you may have.
