His refusal to acknowledge that they are at odds, that any rift separates their desires or hopes for the future, resembles his denial that time threatens their possession through the rupture of a decision. Hemingway emphasizes the parallel between the man's twin evasions by having Jig use an identical construction to express the loss, and yet possible recapture, of both Europe and their contentment as a couple (Grant 1998 273). .
The man is attempting to overpower and maneuver her by establishing his superiority. One can infer that Jig has been oppressed by The American for quite some time by the way the dialogue is formed because she seems to be asking or his approval and has difficulty asserting herself: "Could we try it? Should we have another drink? Could we have another beer? I said the mountains looked like white elephants. Wasn't that bright?" (Hemingway 350). .
Jig is extremely submissive to the American by wanting his approval and the questions she asks and the way she responds to him talking about the abortion. Jig never says "no" or really responds with an answer to the man, and instead of bluntly stating her views on the abortion she implies, hints, and euphemize. At one point of the conversation Jig ponders on how things would be if she does go through with the abortion: "And if I do it you'll be happy and things will be like they were and you'll love me?. But if I do it, then it will be nice again if I say things are like white elephants, and you'll like it?" (Hemingway 351). Her indecisiveness and desire to placate the man demonstrates her dependence on him, however the mere fact that she formulates them as a question could imply that she believes nothing can save their relationship. It is pretty apparent that Jig doesn't want things to change between her and her lover and is somewhat willing to give into the coercion: "Oppression, therefore, results in the differentiation or people into groups (e.