First off, the story is fantastic. It's the perfect length for a 50-minute class to read and analyze, contains unique vocabulary words and phrases, and exemplifies the eternal friction and misunderstanding between man and woman. The writing is off the charts brilliant and it makes way for several excellent discussion.
Most students who read the story find it boring (as I did when my teacher had us read it in high school). There is no action at all, and the main subject of the characters' discussion is implicit. But being able to comment and point out careful details throughout the story makes reading it fun thanks to the added tension and curiosity.
Possibly the most impressive aspect of "Hills like White Elephants" is the rapid character development. It's hardly 4 pages long, but you really get to know and understand the two main character before it's over.
The best part of the lesson is having the class try to figure out what the characters were speaking about the whole time. What is "it"? I've read the story with hundreds of students, but fewer than 3 have ever figured it out on their own. We go back through the story methodically and I point out details and ask questions until a lightbulb goes off in someone's head...
***SPOILER ALERT!***
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"they're talking about having an abortion!"
The shock and awe on my students' faces when they figure it out is priceless. The lesson learned is that we don't always have to be so explicit in our writing, but we always have to be perceptive and critical in our reading.
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