.
Another use of symbolic character reference is that the man is called "the American,"" and the girl is still just "the girl- with no cultural or ethnical background mentioned. The girl is obviously not a native of Spain because of her continuous requests of her companion to translate Spanish. The first case is the beaded curtain with the drink advertisement, then again reiterated when she asks what the waitress said about when the train would be there and smiles to thank her instead of saying thank you. However, this does offer up some confusion as to where he picked up a younger girl who speaks English, yet is probably not American. Jig might even be British, which would then tie into Modern writers and their distaste for America's lack of culture and desire of European lifestyle. .
Alcohol, a common theme, is used as a symbol of distraction. Every time that alcohol is mentioned it is used to change the subject. The advertisement on the curtain is Anis del Toro. Jig inquires about it right after the original white elephant discussion, which is the first time the companions start to snap at each other. The couple then discusses the drink and decides on a water chaser. The second time alcohol is brought up is again after a comment about white elephants. Jig is retracting her statement about the hills not really looking like white elephants and her companion suggests another drink. Jig requests another drink when she comes back from the platform and the American is trying to make her realize. Hemmingway never quite said exactly what Jig was supposed to realize, however, merely that she has to and she does. The final mention of alcohol is when Jig is threatening to scream if the American does not stop speaking. The waitress comes out with beer and the conversation titters out. .
Time is used symbolically throughout this story. The first occurrence is that the express from Barcelona would arrive in forty minutes.