A Girl Called Jig

Although Hills Like White Elephants, written by Ernest Hemingway in 1927, is a little over three pages in length, the characters in this short story are impactful. This story takes place in Northern Spain and follows an American man and the girl accompanying him. Of the three characters introduced in this short story, Hemingway refers to the man as the American, the waitress as the woman, and the American’s companion, who is referred to several times as Jig, as the girl. This can lead us to believe that Jig is younger than the American and possibly less experienced; this is shown by Jig having to ask him for Spanish translations.

Throughout the story, Jig and the American discuss whether Jig will be getting “the operation”; although it’s never said outright, it’s been widely accepted that they are talking about an abortion. Jig appears to be distracted in the opening scenes of the story, choosing to stare out at the hills rather than looking at the American or her surroundings. It’s here that Jig makes the comment that the hills remind her of a white elephant. Symbolically, the white elephant could refer to a gift that the receiver doesn’t want, even though it was once considered sacred.

The connection Jig makes about the hills reminding her of white elephants could be her subconsciously acknowledging their situation as something more than just a problem to get rid of. Regardless of what is decided, Jig may have feelings she can’t describe or isn’t ready to talk about when it comes to the unborn child. I think this is demonstrated when the American says he’s never seen a white elephant, and Jig replies “No, you wouldn’t have.” (Hemingway 314) He’ll never understand the thoughts or feelings she’s having, and even if she conveyed that to him, he still might not truly get it. Conversation going forward feels forced, with a palpable tension, and Jig is quick to change the subject when the American gets snippy.

From the beginning of the story until almost the end, Jig appears to be an amiable, naive, and innocent character. Hemingway’s decision to call her the girl lets her be perceived as young, she has an air of innocence about her, and she’s willing to sacrifice things, with no regard to what she wants, in order to maintain her relationship with the American. This is seen in something as trivial as whether she wants water in her beverage and again when discussing the abortion. “Then I’ll do it. Because I don’t care about me.” (Hemingway 316)

Up to this point she’s been very submissive. She changes the subject when conversation doesn’t favor the American, she appears to make choices that benefit him, and she allows him to feel in charge. She lets him sweet talk her and she makes herself smaller by not voicing her opinions.

During the conversation on page 316, two things happen. The reader can see that Jig will only go through with the operation because she believes it’s what the American wants and that in doing so, he’ll be happy and continue to love her. We also see a shift in Jig’s personality. She begins to question whether things really will end up how the man says they will. She says they could have everything, but “once they take it away, you never get it back.” (Hemingway 316) Jig begins to question whether this is something she wants to go through with. She knows it’s not something that can be undone, and I think at some level, she knows the procedure isn’t as quick and easy as the American is leading her to believe.

At the end of the story, Jig starts to find her voice. She’s had enough of listening to the American sweet talk her and tell her that everything will be fine. Multiple times she’s asked him to stop talking, and when he continues, she threatens to scream. This is wildly different from the girl we met in the beginning of the story. We also see her acknowledge the waitress, the woman, for the first time by smiling brightly at her. I feel this could be a transition from her being just a girl unsure about her feelings, to a woman with a newfound voice and opinions. While I initially thought that Jig going back on her initial thoughts about the white hills was in an attempt to appease the American’s ego, I now think it was her changing her mind about the pregnancy. ““I feel fine,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine.”” (Hemingway 317)

Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills Like White Elephants.” The Norton Introduction to Literature, 13th ed., Kelly J Mays, ed., 314–317