"Hills Like White Elephants"

I just re-read the short story this morning in order to catch details I didn't see during the first read-through. The first thing I noticed is that the man is called the American, and the girl is simply a girl. Why is she a girl, not a woman? And why is he the American? Does this say something about him with his actions? Is she European? And what's with the name "Jig?"

The American, as he's called, seems like he has a short temper and he's selfish. At least twice in the story he snaps at her, saying "'Just because you say I wouldn't have doesn't prove anything.'" and "'Oh cut it out,'" to her tart comment about absinthe. I remember my discussion about absinthe in senior English. What a drink!

Also, I missed the part of the dialogue about "'We could have all this.'" She says the world isn't theirs anymore. I didn't realize until this morning what that meant. She says that once she gets the abortion, things will never be the same again for them. They could have the fertile and lush green side of the station, but now that she has gotten pregnant, no matter which course they go, they can't live the lifestyle they've been leading. It just isn't possible. She won't be able to enjoy it the same way anymore. You get the feeling she doesn't want to go through the "perfectly natural" procedure where they "just let the air in" (great descriptions in my opinion). She wants to go through with it, as the American says, but he counters with "'I don't want anybody but you. I don't want anyone else.'" Then he repeats that it's "'perfectly simple.'" It seems so selfish that he refuses to raise a child because he just wants Jig. It shows concern only for himself and his feelings, not what will make Jig happy (what is their relationship, anyway? Boyfriend and girlfriend? Travel companions with benefits?) His only concern is his own satisfaction. He knows they "'could get along,'" but that doesn't matter to him. He wants to go on drinking and traveling.

And so the girl doesn't care about herself, or so she says, so she will give in to the American, and continue on even though the world isn't theirs anymore. It won't be the same, because that sort of change and the loss of that chance ruins it forever. Perhaps she doesn't care about herself and instead cares about her child, or maybe just about the American. But what she cares about isn't enough for her to stand up for herself. She's apathetic, willing to give in to anything.