Communication is the Key Hills Like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway is a short story about a couple contemplating whether or not to have an abortion. The two are in a train station drinking beer and waiting for their train to arrive. In the story, the man wants the girl to have an abortion saying it will be a quick and easy procedure. However, readers can tell that the girl doesn't really like the idea of ​​having an abortion. Throughout the story the couple tries to talk about the problem but their conversation seems to go nowhere. They go back and forth saying they just want the other to be happy. There is an irony in the story of these two characters as their relationship begins to “deteriorate,” compared to the “unity depicted in the river, mountains, and fields” (Maynard). The woman begins to see “the selfishness of the man” and that is when the readers see that she has decided to keep the baby” (Maynard). Even though readers have a good understanding of what each character wants, neither character comes out to say what they've decided. Once the train arrives, the two paths separate. No clear decision was ever made, but readers have a good idea that the couple most likely separated and the girl probably kept her baby. Hemingway highlights how important communication is in relationships through this story. The couple in the story obviously didn't communicate very well, so their relationship didn't last. Relationships are based on communication and if a couple fails to communicate the relationship will not last. Hemingway portrayed a couple who could not communicate in three different ways. Place, time, and degree of relationship are all factors that influence communication… middle of the paper… place, time, and degree of relationship. Readers understand how important it is to have an effective conversation. A private conversation should take place in a private setting. A conversation shouldn't end until the problem is resolved, no matter how long it takes. The couple should allow adequate time for the conversation to take place. Furthermore, if you want a strong relationship, communication is vital, while if communication is weak the relationship will deteriorate. If communication is not managed appropriately the relationship will not last. In this story, the meaning of the conversation is overlooked, which is why the relationship deteriorated. Hemingway shows readers how important communication between two people is. For a thriving relationship, communication is key.