In order to effectively communicate his stories, Hemingway utilizes the Iceberg Theory. The Iceberg theory, originally created by Sigmund Freud to detail how the subconscious mind work, states that the heart of the message that the author conveys is placed in the underpinnings of the work. The surface may seem trivial and simple; however, it is written that way so the message will be neither clouded nor easily given to the reader. According too Hemingway, “If a writer of prose knows enough of what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them. The dignity of movement of an ice-berg is due to only one-eighth of it being above water. A writer who omits things because he does not know them only makes hollow places in his writing.” Hemingway not only trusts his own ability to write effectively, he trusts his audience to be able to interpret his message.
I appreciated not having the story spoon fed to me or over embellished with fancy details. The simplicity was a nice contrast and break from our other readings. Also, I was able to fully grasp the significance and meaning of the story, regardless of the ambiguity. The reason why I was so apt to understand the story is Hemingway’s use of symbolism to delve into the topic he discussed. With the symbol elephant, I was able to grasp the concept of birth with my knowledge of Sidhartha Gautama’s (the Buddha ) birth and his mom’s vision. Also, I was able to appreciate the notion that the child was the elephant in the room. It wasn’t blatantly discussed but it was strongly hinted at. Also the white elephant represents rarity, responsibility, and fertility. With this knowledge, combined with clues like “operation” and “let the air in,” I was able to easily understand the plot of the story.
The white elephant in “Hills Like White Elephants” is just one of the many underlying details that hints at the sensitive subject of abortion. Hemingway also organizes certain details to speak of other underlying themes like Gender Roles and feminism. Hemingway’s Iceberg theory of writing is truly fascinating because of its ability to move audiences without moving text. As an essayist and journalist, I hope to experiment with a similar approach in my writing. I think it will allow me to be able to clearly, concisely, and effectively communicate the messages I wish to convey.
Hills Like White Elephants Response
ReplyDeleteI too thoroughly enjoyed the simple dialogue and the matter-of-factness of this story. Looking deeper into the dialogue and discovering and almost dissecting the underlying meaning of the context was both attention grabbing and insightful. The story held numerous underlying themes, such as gender role, demonstrated by buried motions of the man ordering all of the drinks or the setting, and the symbolism of the two train rails running opposite directions signifying a conflict. I was unfamiliar with the Iceberg Theory before this story, however with your explanation Clay, and through our class discussion, I have remembered and recognize various pieces of literature that too use the same Iceberg Theory. I really enjoyed the quote you posted of Hemingway stating that, “If a writer of prose knows enough of what he is writing about he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them.” I found this a very true statement through this work of Hemingway and found it beneficial in truly understanding the underlying themes of the short story. I enjoyed how such a simply written story, had such a complex and vast meaning.
David Belpedio
Hi Clay, Thanks for the interesting post. Hemingway's iceberg technique engages readers by its surface-level simplicity and profound depths. Truly we are always left wondering what's below the surface. Thanks for posting. dw
ReplyDeleteI think that one of Hemingway’s true gifts is creating an environment that will lead his readers to the conclusion he is trying to convey. It is the mark of a mature writer to be able to convey a point without saying it. I am always impressed with his ability to do this.
ReplyDeleteI think Hemingway’s quote also speaks to the idea that nothing is a mistake in literature. One of my biggest pet peeves is when people claim authors don’t mean to include symbolism in their writing and literary critics are simply over analyzing. You have to give authors and readers more credit than that. Hemingway is correct; if they didn’t mean to include the symbolism it would leave a whole and not cohesively work with the rest of the story. We would be able to tell.