Ernest Hemingway's short story "Hills Like White Elephants" is a masterclass in subtext, where much of the narrative’s emotional weight resides in what is not explicitly stated. At the heart of this tension is the figure of the "jig," a term used by the American to describe the couple's unborn child. While seemingly a casual, almost dismissive descriptor, the "jig" functions as a potent symbol, representing not just a potential life but also the profound communication breakdown between the man and the woman, Jig. It embodies the unacknowledged conflict, the pressure of a decision, and the growing chasm between their desires and expectations.
The term "jig" itself carries a dual connotation that mirrors the couple's predicament. On one hand, a jig is a lively, energetic dance, suggesting a potential future filled with movement and perhaps even joy. The man initially frames the abortion as a simple procedure, a way to return to their previous, carefree existence, akin to resuming a spirited dance. He repeatedly assures Jig that "It's perfectly simple" and that "We can have it all back." This perspective casts the abortion as a means to reclaim a lost rhythm, a life unburdened by the responsibilities of parenthood. However, the word also evokes a sense of artificiality or a puppet-like manipulation, a feeling that one is being made to move or dance to another's tune. This darker undertone hints at the man's attempt to control the situation and Jig's potential feeling of being coerced into a decision that serves his agenda.
The symbolic weight of the "jig" is amplified by the stark contrast between the two landscapes the couple observes. The dry, barren side of the Ebro valley, filled with "brown, dry hills," is where the man feels comfortable. This landscape, devoid of life and fertility, mirrors his desire for a continuation of their current, unattached lifestyle. Conversely, the fertile side, where the "white hills look like white elephants," represents a different possibility, one that Jig seems drawn to. White elephants are historically symbols of rarity and preciousness, but also of burdens and immense cost. For Jig, the hills might represent the potential beauty and significance of motherhood, a life-altering experience that, while costly, holds a unique value. The man’s dismissal of these hills, calling them "no good," and his preference for the barren side, highlights his rejection of the life-sustaining potential that the "jig" represents. His desire is for a return to the "dry" and uncomplicated, a state where the "jig" would be eliminated.
The dialogue surrounding the "jig" also reveals the deep-seated communication issues. The man consistently deflects genuine emotional engagement, opting for practical reassurances and minimizing the significance of the decision. When Jig asks, "And if I don't we both go to hell?" his response, "I won't let you," is not an affirmation of their shared future, but a pronouncement of his will. He cannot fathom a life where the "jig" exists and yet still maintains their current dynamic. He sees it as an insurmountable obstacle to their old life, a life he is unwilling to sacrifice. Jig’s internal struggle is evident in her alternating between resignation and a desperate plea for understanding. Her repeated observation of the white elephants and her eventual quiet assertion, "I feel fine," after the man’s outburst, suggests a complex emotional processing that he is either unable or unwilling to engage with. The "jig" becomes the silent, unspoken entity around which their entire conversation revolves, a constant presence that neither can fully confront together.
Ultimately, the "jig" in "Hills Like White Elephants" is more than just a euphemism for an abortion. It is a powerful symbol of the unacknowledged child, the fractured communication between the couple, and the profound divergence in their life desires. Hemingway uses this subtle, loaded term to expose the anxieties and pressures of a relationship at a critical juncture, demonstrating how unspoken tensions and differing perspectives can create an insurmountable distance between two people, even when they are physically together. The "jig" remains, a potent reminder of the life that could have been and the choices that define their desolate present.