Short story is short for "short story", which is a form of fictional story that is shorter
and denser than a full-length novel or story. Short stories usually focus on one
particular conflict or theme and usually only have one or two main characters. "Hills
Like White Elephants" (HLWE) is a short story by renowned writer Ernest
Hemingway. This story was first published in 1927 in Transition magazine. This
story describes a conversation between a man and a woman sitting in a Spanish
train station discussing the difficult subject of abortion.
This research aims to determine the characters and characterizations in the short
story "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway. This research uses a
descriptive-qualitative method, with two methods: documentation and observation.
In collecting data, it uses the observation method by observing objects and uses the
documentation method by displaying conversations between characters in short
story. Data analysis techniques are carried out in the field or even simultaneously
with the data collection process. This analysis consists of three streams of activity
that occur simultaneously, namely; data reduction, data presentation,
conclusion/verification.
This research shows that based on the results of data analysis obtained from the
short story "Hills Like White Elephants" by Ernest Hemingway, it describes the
story of two lovers who reveal a cryptic conversation about the pregnancy of a
woman called Jig. Meanwhile a man described as "American" encouraged her to
have an abortion. Their complicated journey and the emotion behind their words
add to the suspense and mystery story. Hemingway explores topics such as
ineffective communication, change, and doubt through symbolism and minimalist
storytelling, resulting in stories that engage readers to think about deeper and more
colorful meanings.