seems to be trying to forget the decisions she has to make through her consumption of alcohol, but she continues to find herself concentrating on the situations that cast a shadow over her”. (Hodges 73) This does not seem to be what Jig desires. After Jig’s second drink she says, “Everything tastes of licorice”, especially all the things you’ve waited so long for, like absinthe.”(Hemingway 27) Jig’s tone is very indecisive, as she tells the American, “I have been waiting all my life to have this child and now I stand to lose it or you “. (Hibbison 3) Jig is staring into the distance and sees the hills which seems to bring up the abortion because the hills symbolize her pregnant stomach. She is explaining to the American how they look like white elephants. The American states that he has never seen them before. Jig says, “Of course you haven’t”. (Hemingway 27) White symbolizes the purity and innocence of her unborn child. The white also symbolizes something that is little or no value to its owner, which was the unborn child. In this case it is a symbol of how the American feels about the abortion. The American does not want any responsibility in having this baby.
The two are sitting down having a cold beer while Jig is idolizing the beaded curtains.
“The beaded curtains can symbolize a lot of things such as the baby, the two’s relationship, and a barrier that Jigs putting up to protect her and her baby”. (Hibbison 5) The American keeps ignoring the barrier by suggesting that Jig should get the abortion and how it will bring back their happiness. He is telling Jig how it is “perfectly natural”. (Hemingway 28) “When he sees that Jig is ignoring what he is saying by walking to the fertile side of the station it seems as though he may come around about not getting the abortion, but he is not happy about it”. (Hemingway 30) While the American is trying to convince Jig to go through with the operation she finally tells him to please stop talking. Jig and the American were sitting down when the woman came out of the curtains with the two beers and told them the train comes in five minutes. “I’d better take the bags over to the other side of the station,” the man said as Jig smiled. (Hemingway 27) During the end Jig tells the American that she is fine, but in reality we all know she is not. Jig knows that she still has this bittersweet feeling of the American coming with her and them keeping the baby because he has finally decided to stop talking and walk to the other side to take the bags. We really do not know what he is going to do though. Whether he will stay with her or he did he just take the bags over there just to help
her.
In the end of the story we could not really tell whether the lasting happiness was an illusion or was it real. Throughout the story Hemingway symbolized many things to show the whether or not the two were getting an abortion or not. We get the impression from Jig's sarcasm that she is still thinking about having the baby. Jig knows that she really wants to keep this baby. “Jig’s emotions really show towards the end of the story because she has heard that there are serious dangers in getting an abortion”. (Hibbison 4) Both Jig and the American are unsure because neither of them really want the relationship to end. The American did not come to have a baby, but to have fun. “Jig's sarcasm and distrust are her arms against keeping the baby or not”. (Hibbison 4) Since she is the one who has to go through it all, she is having second thoughts about it. “She also wants to be relieved that the operation won't be for nothing, that it will save their relationship”. (Hemingway 29)