Linguistic Analysis of "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway

Seminar paper from the year 2025 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1,7, University of Osnabrück (Institut für Amerikanistik und Anglistik), course: Advanced Reading, language: English, abstract: This term paper offers an in-depth analysis of Ernest Hemingway's short story Hills Like White Elephants, focusing on both literary and linguistic dimensions. Through close reading, it explores power dynamics, symbolic imagery, and communication breakdown between the characters-particularly surrounding the unspoken topic of abortion. Using rhetorical and grammatical analysis, as well as concepts like pronoun use, modal verbs, and narrative perspective, the paper reveals how Hemingway's minimalist style conveys emotional complexity through subtle implication rather than direct expression. A valuable resource for students of literature, linguistics, and modernist narrative technique.