POV ? about Ernest Hemingway's Hills like White Elephants

Question

Analyze the Point of View in Hills like White Elephants:

1. What is the narration like?
2. Explain if it's first, second, or third person- I think it's third.
3. Explain if it's omniscient or limited, and /or if it's close or distant.
4. How do you think this POV affects the story? As in-- how would this story be significantly altered if told through a different POV? 

Mainly I am struggling with how to tell if the story is close or distant and if it's omniscient or limited. Any help would be so appreciated!! Thank you!

I added a link to a pdf of the story in case anyone needs it. It's not a very long story:

https://faculty.weber.edu/jyoung/English%202500/Readings%20for%20English%202500/Hills%20Like%20White%20Elephants.pdf

Answer 1

This super-short story is a great example of Hemingway's spare style. Let's take a look at the story again (thanks for the link!), and then consider the questions.

1. What is the narration like? Narration is the telling of the story. To answer this question, use your thoughts on the considerations below to put together your response to the question:
2. What do you think of the way the narrator tells this story?
3. Does the narrator identify himself/herself?
4. How much background information about the place and time does the narrator share?
5. How much does he or she directly share about the characters, their thoughts, and their feelings?
6. Explain if it's first, second, or third person. You say you think it's in third person, and that's right!
7. First person tells a story from the point of view of a character, so there would be a lot of "I" statements in the background paragraphs (as opposed to the dialogue).
8. Second person directs statements to the reader, so there would be a lot of "you" statements in the background paragraphs.
9. In third person, the narrator exists outside the story and uses "I" nor "you" statements, but "him/her/they/it" instead.
10. Explain if it's omniscient or limited, and /or if it's close or distant. Think about what each of these terms means, and then think about the narration in the story. Which terms best describe its narrative point of view?
11. Omniscient means "all knowing," and it describes cases where the narrator knows everything about all aspects of the story and its characters -- whether they share that information or not. Does the narrator seem to know about the same amount about all the characters in this story?
12. Limited means that the narrator knows all about only one of the characters and shares insights into that character's thoughts and feelings. Does the narrator give more insight into one character's perspective while telling this story?
13. Close Narrative Distance means that the narrator shares specific details from the character's feelings, observations, and thoughts as part of the way the story is told -- as though from right inside the character's head. Does the narrator use specifics on any character's thoughts and feeling in this story?
14. Distant Narrative Distance means that the narrator reveals little about the thoughts and feelings of the characters in the way the story is told -- as though from farther away from the character. Does the narrator avoid sharing details of the characters' thoughts and feelings in this story?
15. How do you think this POV affects the story? As in-- how would this story be significantly altered if told through a different POV? For this question, try imagining the same setting and events of the story instead told in the following ways, then share how you think the story would strike you differently as a reader.
16. What if the narrator shared the names of the two main characters and revealed more about them during their conversation?
17. What if the narrator told the whole story from "the American's" point of view, including his thoughts and feelings?
18. What if the narrator told the whole story from "the Girl's" point of view, including her thoughts and feelings?

I hope these explanations of terms and supporting questions clear up a murky subject and help you form your responses. Good luck!