Hills Like White Elephants Script Emotion and Subtext

"What should we drink?" Tone: Inquisitive, Subtext: She wants them both to get drunk to avoid the situation
 the girl asked. She had taken off her hat and put it on the table.
     M: "It's pretty hot," The the man said. Tone: Apathetic, Emotion:
     F:"Let's drink beer." Tone: Contemptous; Subtext: she wants to avoid the situation
     M: "Dos cervezas," Tone: Apathetic; Subtext: The man wants two beers; one for each of them
     Waitress: "Big ones?"
     M: "Yes. Two big ones." Subtext: He wants them to get really drunk
  
     F: "They look like white elephants," she said. Tone: Awe; Subtext: She's suggesting that her baby is a burden but precious
     M: "I've never seen one," the man drank his beer. Tone: Callous; Subtext: I don't care
     F: "No, you wouldn't have." Tone: 
     M: "I might have," the man said. Subtext: He's touchy due to their issue they both are hesitant to discuss.
     Tone: Objective; Subtext: Just because you think something didn't happen doesn't mean it didn't.
     "They've painted something on it," she said." Tone: Reluctant Subtext: Changing the subject 

    What does it say?" Emotion: Curious
     M: "Anis del Toro. It's a drink." Emotion: Subtext: He is familiar with alcohol
     F: "Could we try it?" Subtext: She wants to try new things
     The man called "Listen" through the curtain. The woman came out from the bar.
     Waitress: "Four reales." 
     M: "We want two Anis del Toro." Tone: Informative; Subtext: We want to beers
     Waitress: "With water?"
     M: "Do you want it with water?" Tone: Questioning Subtext: Her opinion still matters to him
     F: "I don't know," the girl said. "Is it good with water?" Tone: Questioning; Subtext: His Opinion still matters to her as well
     M: "It's all right."
     Bartender Lady: "You want them with water?" asked the woman.
     M: "Yes, with water."
     F: "It tastes like licorice," the girl said and put the glass down. Tone: Dull; Subtext: She doesn't like the drink
     M: "That's the way with everything." Tone: Derisive; Subtext: Everything isn't as good as once sought
     F: "Yes," said the girl. "Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you've waited so long for, like absinthe." Tone: Critical; Subtext: She has always wanted to have a relationship but cannot because of what the man wants
     M: "Oh, cut it out." Tone: Objective; Subtext: Stop being so negative
     F: "You started it," the girl said. "I was being amused. I was having a fine time." Tone: Defending Subtext: He started the argument that she sought to avoid
     M: "Well, let's try and have a fine time." Tone: Optimistic; Subtext: Let's try to forget about the conversation
     F: "All right. I was trying. I said the mountains looked like white elephants. Wasn't that bright?" Tone: Sanguineous; Subtext: Wasn't it clever what I did?
     M: "That was bright." Tone: Non-Attentative Subtext: that was smart
     F: "I wanted to try this new drink. That's all we do, isn't it--look at things and try new drinks?" Tone: Suggestive; Subtext: All we ever do is the same thing over and over
     M: "I guess so." Subtext: I'm listening but I'm not paying full attention
     F: "They're lovely hills," she said. "They don't really look like white elephants. I just meant the coloring of their skin through the trees." Tone: I like them; Subtext: The baby is a gift even though the man feels as if it were a burden.
     M: "Should we have another drink?" Tone: Hoping Subtext: Let's get drunk to help us get through this conversation
     F: "All right." Tone: Agreeing
     The warm wind blew the bead curtainagainst the table.
     M: "The beer's nice and cool," the man said.
     F: "It's lovely," the girl said. Tone: Satisfied Subtext: She likes it
     M: "It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig," the man said. "It's not really an operation at all." Tone: Calm Subtext: Get an abortion
The girl looked at the ground the table legs rested on.
     M: "I know you wouldn't mind it, Jig. It's really not anything. It's just to let the air in." Subtext: It's totally normal
     The girl did not say anything
     M: "I'll go with you and I'll stay with you all the time. They just let the air in and then it's all perfectly natural." 
     F: "Then what will we do afterward?" Tone: curious Subtext: What happens after that?
     M: "We'll be fine afterward. Just like we were before."Tone: Informative; Subtext: Nothing will change
     F: "What makes you think so?" Subtext: You don't know that nothing will change.
     M: "That's the only thing that bothers us. It's the only thing that's made us unhappy." Tone: Objective Subtext:We should fix this problem we've been having
     F: "And you think then we'll be all right and be happy." Subtext: So everything will be as good as it once was?
     M: "I know we will. You don't have to be afraid. I've known lots of people that have done it." Tone: Recommending Subtext: Other people have done it so you should too
     F: "So have I," said the girl. "And afterward they were all so happy." Tone: Objective Subtext: You really think people were happy after something like that?
     M: "Well," the man said, "if you don't want to you don't have to. I wouldn't have you do it if you didn't want to. But I know it's perfectly simple." Tone: Persuading Subtext: I don't want you to do it if it makes you uncomfortable but I do want you to do it.
     F: "And you really want to?" Subtext: You want me to.
     M: "I think it's the best thing to do. But I don't want you to do it if you don't really want to." Subtext: You should do it for me.
     F: "And if I do it you'll be happy and things will be like they were and you'll love me?" Subtext: Everything will be normal again?
     M: "I love you now. You know I love you."
     F: "I know. But if I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things are like white elephants, and you'll like it?" Subtext: If I go through with this, we can be who we used to be?
     M: "I'll love it. I love it now but I just can't think about it. You know how I get when I worry." Subtext: I''m worried
     F: "If I do it you won't ever worry?"
     M: "I won't worry about that because it's perfectly simple." Subtext: It's simple.
     F: "Then I'll do it. Because I don't care about me." Tone: Sarcastic, Subtext: I only want what will make you happy
     M: "What do you mean?" Tone: Snarky Subtext: What are you talking about
     F: "I don't care about me." Subtext: You don't care about me
     M: "Well, I care about you." Subtext: It does matter to me
     F: "Oh, yes. But I don't care about me. And I'll do it and then everything will be fine." Subtext: Everything will return to the way it once was.
     M: "I don't want you to do it if you feel that way." Subtext: I do want you to do it for me but I don't if it makes you uncomfortable.
     F: "And we could have all this," she said. "And we could have everything and every day we make it more impossible." Tone: Distraught; Subtext: We could have all of this beauty if we were to let the baby be born.
     M: "What did you say?" Tone: Pessimistic;
     F: "I said we could have everything."Tone: Optimistic; Subtext: This side WITH LIFE is so much more beautiful than the barren mountains that holds none.
     M: "We can have everything." Tone: unquestionable; Subtext: We can too have what we want.
     F: "No, we can't." Tone: Objective; Subtext: Not what both of us want.
     M: "We can have the whole world." Subtext: Together we can have what I want.
     F: "No, we can't." Subtext: I don't want what you want
     M: "We can go everywhere." Tone: Critical
     F: "No, we can't. It isn't ours any more." Subtext: We can't do that with a baby.
     M: "It's ours." Subtext: But it can be.
     F: "No, it isn't. And once they take it away, you never get it back." Subtext: Once the baby is gone, it's gone.
     M: "But they haven't taken it away." Subtext: We still have the world.
     F: "We'll wait and see." Subtext: You obviously don't understand.
     M:"Come on back in the shade," he said. "You mustn't feel that way."Tone: Changing the Subject; Subtext: You seem sickly.
     F:"I don't feel any way," the girl said. "I just know things." Tone: Unwilling; Subtext: I feel fine and I know that I will keep the child.
     M: "I don't want you to do anything that you don't want to do "
     F: "Nor that isn't good for me," she said. "I know. Could we have another beer?" Subtext: Let's get more drunk.
     M: "All right. But you've got to realize" Tone: Hesitant; Subtext: It's not healthy.
     F: "I realize," the girl said. "Can't we maybe stop talking?" Tone: Upset; Subtext: Let's not have this conversation.
    M:"You've got to realize," he said, "that I don't want you to do it if you don't want to. I'm perfectly willing to go through with it if it means anything to you." Subtext: We can keep it if you really want it.
     F: "Doesn't it mean anything to you? We could get along." Subtext: We could live a happy life together along with the child.
     M: "Of course it does. But I don't want anybody but you. I don't want any one else. And I know it's perfectly simple." Subtext: Do it for me and we can still be together.
     M:: "Yes, you know it's perfectly simple."
     "It's all right for you to say that, but I do know it."
     F: "Would you do something for me now?' Tone: Frustrated
     M: "I'd do anything for you.'Tone: Pleasing
     F: "Would you please please please please please please please Stop talking." Tone: Angry; Subtext: Shut up.

     M: "But I don't want you to," he said, "I don't care anything about it."
     F: "I'll scream," the girl said." Tone: Annoyed; Subtext: If you don't quit talking I am going to scream. 

     Bartender Lady: "The train comes in five minutes," she said.
     F: "What did she say?" Tone: Asking; Subtext: Even though I don't want to do what you want, I rely on you.
     M:"That the train is coming in five minutes."
 
     M: "I'd better take the bags over to the other side of the station," the man said. She smiled at him.
     F: "All right. Then come back and we'll finish the beer." Tone: Agreeing; Subtext: We'll get drunk(er) when you come back.
     M: "Do you feel better?" he asked.
     F: "I feel fine," she said. "There's nothing wrong with me. I feel fine." Tone: Decisive; Nothing at all is wrong, I will do what I choose to.