Characters in Hills Like White Elephants: Analysis for Class, Quizzes, and Essays

Answer Block

The American is a goal-oriented figure focused on resolving a pressing problem quickly, often dismissing the woman’s emotional needs. The woman, called Jig by the American, grapples with conflicting feelings about the future and struggles to voice her true desires. The bartender remains outside the core conflict, performing routine tasks that highlight the tension between the other two.

Next step: Pull 2 specific examples of dialogue from each character that support this breakdown and write them in a 3-column chart.

Key Takeaways

• Each character’s dialogue reveals more than their explicit words, reflecting Hemingway’s iceberg theory of writing.
• The power dynamic shifts subtly throughout the story, driven by the woman’s changing tone and the American’s repeated justifications.
• The bartender’s neutrality emphasizes the isolation of the central pair’s conflict.
• No character states the central problem directly, forcing readers to infer their motivations from subtext.

20-Minute Plan and 60-Minute Plan

3-Step Study Plan

Discussion Kit

• Recall: What small, repeated actions does the American use to avoid the woman’s unspoken concerns?
• Analysis: How does the woman’s nickname tie into her lack of clear identity in the story?
• Evaluation: Would the central conflict change if the bartender had spoken directly to the pair? Explain your answer.
• Recall: What specific requests does the woman make that the American either dismisses or redirects?
• Analysis: How does the American’s use of rational language contrast with the woman’s emotional subtext?
• Evaluation: Which character has more control over the story’s outcome? Support your claim with evidence.
• Analysis: How does the bartender’s silence highlight the failure of communication between the two main characters?
• Recall: What small detail does the woman notice that the American ignores, revealing their differing priorities?

Essay Kit

Exam Kit

Checklist

• I can identify 3 core traits for each of the 3 characters
• I can link each trait to a specific dialogue or action cue
• I can explain how the bartender functions as a narrative device
• I can describe the shifting power dynamic between the American and the woman
• I can connect the characters’ dynamic to the story’s central theme of choice
• I can avoid stating the central conflict explicitly (per Hemingway’s style)
• I can analyze subtext rather than just summarizing dialogue
• I can use the iceberg theory to explain the story’s character development
• I can identify 2 moments where the setting mirrors a character’s mood
• I can write a clear thesis statement linking character traits to theme

Common Mistakes

• Stating the central conflict explicitly alongside analyzing subtext
• Reducing the woman to a passive victim without acknowledging her subtle resistance
• Ignoring the bartender’s role as a narrative device
• Focusing only on the American’s flaws without examining the woman’s mixed motivations
• Using summary alongside analysis in essay responses

Self-Test

• Name one trait that the American and the woman share, and one key difference.
• How does the woman’s tone change from the start of the story to the end?
• What function does the bartender serve in the narrative, beyond taking orders?

How-To Block