Dialogue and Symbolism in Hemingway’s the Old Man and the Sea (Dialogue) and Hills Like White Elephants (Symbolism) from Mu'tah University Students' Perspective

Abstract

This research paper aims at investigating the extent of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea of being a dialogue novel and Hemingway’s Hills Like White Elephants as a novel of symbolism from Mut’ah University students’ perspective. A thorough evaluation of the novels was conducted, examining dialogue in the first story and symbolism in the second story. A qualitative approach was used to collect data. Structured interviews were conducted with seven students from Mu’tah University, Faculty of Arts in Karak, Jordan. The participant students were selected randomly to be the sample for the study. The interviewees were asked about their thinking in regard to dialogue and symbolism in the study’s participated novels.  A questionnaire with open-ended items was utilized for this purpose. Data analysis confirmed that the Old Man and the Sea is a novel built on dialogue, and Hills Like White Elephants is a novel of symbols.

Keywords: Hemingway, Old Man and the Sea, Hills Like White Elephants, Dialogue, Symbolism

DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/60-05

Publication date:September 30^th 2019