In relationships, countless factors determine the strength of the bond between two people. An important factor is communication. Author Ernest Hemingway uses this theme in his short story “Hills Like White Elephants. The story features a couple who appear to be having a conversation; Hemingway provides little detail about the characters' backgrounds, but gives the audience vivid insight into their troubling conversations and poor communication skills. Communication has a direct influence on relationships; positive communication results in a successful relationship while negative communication results in an unsuccessful relationship. The lack of communication between the American man and the girl is a problem. One of the main themes of the story is talking versus communication. The couple technically talks but they don't actually understand each other. This poor communication between them causes the frustration that is seen when the characters are introduced. “Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay "They look like white elephants..." "I've never seen one..." "No, you wouldn't have. ' 'I could have... just because you say I couldn't doesn't prove anything'" (Hemingway 635). The man appears to be hostile towards the girl, especially when she tells him that she has never seen a white elephant before, forcing him to become defensive. The tension is felt and the audience quickly learns that the couple is not together really discussing the main issue that is going on; just as a “white elephant in the room” is something that no one wants or wants to address. “'And if I do this you will be happy and things will go back to the way they were and you will love me?' "I love you now. You know I love you'" (Hemingway 637). The man is pushing for an operation on the girl he wants to have; which is believed to be an abortion say anything to convince the girl to undergo the procedure. It seems like he doesn't mean any of the things he's saying; instead, he's simply saying the things he thinks the girl wants to hear, combined with her indecisiveness , almost leads the girl to have an abortion just to keep him quiet. “'I would do anything for you.''Would you please...please stop talking?'” (Hemingway 638). which leads them to never say anything significant and constantly dance around the main problem ("the white elephant"). The poor communication in their relationship is their biggest problem, which is seen throughout the dialogue of the story. The couple's future seems problematic because they are about to make a life-changing decision without sincerely expressing or understanding each other. Lack of communication is an ongoing problem that occurs in “Hills Like White Elephants.” "The main characters' downfall stems solely from their inability to understand each other; this leaves them both uncomfortable and frustrated when they give up on an important decision. Because of the characters' inability to truly understand and express themselves, the audience witnesses the effects of poor communication in a relationship. In all aspects of a relationship, communication is “important and essential” and proves to be a prosperous factor behind successful relationships “making conflict management easier and building a healthier partnership ” (Brook 1). This statement reiterates the direct influence between communication and relationships. Keep in mind: this is just one example. Get a custom paper now.