What is the result of the couple's actions and who is affected most and why?What is the result of the couple's actions and who is affected most and...

It is clear that it is
Jig who is affected much more than the American. Of course, the limited role of the narrator in
this excellent short story means that we as readers have to infer a lot into the text to work
out what is actually going on and the state of the relationship between these two characters.
However, when we consider the repeated way that the American brings up the topic, until Jig has
to threaten screaming to shut him up, we can see how he is oppressing her psychologically and
mentally and manipulating her into doing what he wants, in spite of his protestations
otherwise.