In Earnest Hemingway's classic short story "Hills Like White Elephants," Hemingway addresses a topic that has plagued society for decades. Although it remains unspoken throughout the story, the topic of the story is abortion. The story was written in 1927 at a time when abortion was something no one talked about openly. It was something that would be despised metaphors to disguise the idea of ​​abortion. The American and a woman named Jig are at a crossroads: they must decide whether to keep the child or undergo "the operation" (XXX) The setting of the story is a train station at the base of a hill, the hill has very different landscapes on each side. One side of the hill is barren and dead, while the other side of the hill is green and full of life. This setting conveys the decision to be made regarding Jig's unexpressed pregnancy. The train station also symbolizes a decision point in their life, conveying a decision about which direction to go. In the story, Hemingway relies on symbolism to convey the theme of abortion. The characters in the story, "The American" and "Jig", arrive at a train station in the Ebro Valley on their journey from Barcelona to Madrid. During the forty-five minute stop, waiting for the next train, a conversation takes place that constitutes a crossroads in the lives of the characters. Just as the train station is a potential turning point for deciding whether or not to continue the journey or turn around and go back, the train station is also the symbol of the decision of whether or not Jig will abort. They can continue their journey to Madrid to undergo the operation, or... the central part of the document... or any direct reference to the decision made at the end of the story leaves the reader lost in his own thoughts, where surprisingly complex ideas are conveyed and controversial and the answers are revealed. The questions and answers in the story remain unsaid, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions based on their own beliefs. Works Cited “Abortion: Law, History, and Religion.” I am leaving by Trust choice. np 1995.Web. April 30, 2014.Henningfield, Diane Andrews. “Overview of the hills like white elephants.” Short stories for students. Gale Group, 1999. Web. 8 January 2010. Hemingway, Earnest “Hills Like White Elephants.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ed. Simon, Peter Portable New York: WW Norton and Company, 2011. (343-55). (196-7, 152-180)..