What is the most important symbol in the short story "Hills Like White Elephants"?

I would argue that the
most important symbol in this novel is that of the white elephants of the title. This is because
it seems to sum up so much of the difference between Jig and her partner and the way that she is
so desperate to do anything to try and save what seems to be a hopeless relationship. Let us
remember that white elephants are refered to firstly when Jig looks at the view of teh white
hills and she compares them to white elephants. This triggers a minor squabble between
them.

Later on, however, she deliberately contradicts herself, trying to make
her thoughts and way of looking at the world the same of her partner's, when she says:

They don't really look like white elephants. I just meant the
colouring of their skin through the trees.

White
elephants are shown therefore to be a symbol of the irreconcilable differences between Jig and
her partner, and also the way in which Jig is willing to think of doing almost anything--even
aborting her baby--to save that relationship.