Can you define another string by the text from another string in jquery?

guys. I was wondering if it's possible to define a string by using an "identifier" string with the text of the string that has to be changed?

I have some code below, where you can see an example.

var x1 = 1;
$('.shhi').click(function(){
    var data_id = $(this).attr("data-id");

    var container_class;
    var identifier;
    if(data_id == 1){
        container_class = "information_container";
        identifier = "x1";
    }

    if(identifier == 0){
        $(this).html('<i id="e_' + data_id + '" class="showhide fa fa-plus-circle"></i> Skjul');
        $('#' + container_class).show();
        identifier = 1;
        $('#e_' + data_id).removeClass("fa-plus-circle").addClass("fa-minus-circle");
    }else{
        $(this).html('<i id="e_' + data_id + '" class="showhide fa fa-minus-circle"></i> Vis');
        $('#' + container_class).hide();
        identifier = 0;
        $('#e_' + data_id).removeClass("fa-minus-circle").addClass("fa-plus-circle");
    }   

});

So as you can see, I define the x1 string, and then I tell the identifier string that it's the x1 string that has to have a value changed, when it's clicked. But the problem here, is that it doesn't change the "x1" string, probably because it changes the identifier string instead.

Does anyone know a way to get around this? Or would I have to make something that checks the identifier, and then change the x1 etc. out from that? But I'd like it to be clean.