Symbolism - On Purpose, Subconsciously, or English Teacher Nonsense?

 It is a well-known fact that English teachers LOVE symbolism.  So much so that it often becomes a meme involving English teachers going ga-ga over the blue curtains:

I've seen where non-education posts on social media mentions something about English teachers and symbolism and the comments sections would be full of people with not fond memories of their English teacher's obsession with symbols.

Of course we know that symbolism is everywhere.  There is a whole chapter on it in How to Read Literature Like a Professor after all.

Back in 1963 (just one short year after the debut of the greatest literary character of all time - Spider-Man), a young kid sent out a form questionnaire to several authors of the time asking them four questions.  Amazingly, he got back answer.  

Some were thorough, like this one from Ralph Ellison:

And some were snippy like Ayn Rand's:

The Paris Review did an article on the kid and his quest to find out if authors use symbolism or not that I found interesting and thought you might too.  You can read it here: https://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2011/12/05/document-the-symbolism-survey/?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwL4cndjbGNrAvhyZWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeFXjxSsMhetpQKMva-yL4FJaOtxuBtNr08MOjrF2iHunik_P4Jc3FJj7ndYQ_aem_IHcoHwIVr7dTn_HM9NChKw

Hills Like White Elephants

 I just finished this with my AP Lit class, but I have had a lot of fun with this story and this exercise with honors and regular level classes as well.

If you are not familiar with the story, you are welcome to read my file on it here.  It is slightly altered, but only in formatting to make it easier for the students to read.  I broke up the dialogue into separate paragraphs. It is also color coded by speaker.

A day or two (or more) before we read the story, I have already gone over my archetype notes with them.  I feel that archetypes are often easy gateways into breaking down meaning in poems or stories.  However, I have done this successfully without the notes and either way, before we read the story, I give them no heads up that this is going to be an archetype/symbolism lesson.

In fact, the only thing I tell them beforehand is that Hemmingway was known for writing on a fourth grade reading level, so this shouldn't be a strain on them (this is because I am a mean teacher).

Then we read the story and I ask them what is is about.  Only once has someone guessed the true nature of the "operation".  I entertain all possibilities (even the correct one should someone guess it) and then say, "Well, let's see if the setting can help us out."

Students are instructed to go through and find any details about what this place looks like.  There are some potentially conflicting details on tree placement, but we just make a judgement call and go with it.  I have students tell me what they see.  Each time we get a slightly different image, but the gist of it always looks like this:

But at this point, just the image, not the words.

I will acknowledge what you are all thinking right now.  I could have been an art teacher.  I do agree my skills are quite above par.

Once we have the setting, I ask them if this changes anything.  Of course, it doesn't, so it is time to reveal the wonders of symbolism.  We break it down usually from top to bottom (but waiting on the hills for last):

Sun - truth, life, goodness

Shade - lies, death, evil

Trees - happiness, life, paradise

Ebro River - time passing, life changing

Grain - happiness, life, paradise

But the grain is dry - sadness, hopelessness, death

Warm Breeze - warning, inspiration

Train Tracks - major life decision

So we understand now that this is a decision that deals with life and death, but the girl can choose one way or the other, so, maybe not her life or death.

Usually someone picks up on this being a choice about an abortion.  That opens discussion about a great many things - his attitude, her attitude, etc.

Finally we will reveal that a 'white elephant' refers to a story (maybe factual) of a Chinese emperor that would gift a white elephant to nobles that caused him problems.  Social expectations require that the noble take care of the gift; however, care for an elephant is too expensive and would often ruin the troublesome courtier.  So today, a 'white elephant' means something unwanted.  The White Elephant Christmas game is played after the holiday by people taking gifts that they do not want and wrapping them back up for the game.

If students have not gotten the abortion aspect, they will now.  

The only thing that remains at this point is one student will raise the question of why they are drinking so much alcohol if she is pregnant.  The story was written in 1927.  People didn't understand fetal alcohol syndrome until 1973.