In the story “Hills Like White Elephants” happiness was having the abortion. The American told Jig the baby was the root of all their unhappiness. The American wasn’t ready for a kid. He just wanted to try new drinks and traveling.
In the story “The Birth-mark” happiness was perfection for both main characters. In the beginning Georgiana didn’t seem to have any problems with her physical appearance until Aylmer kept reminding her with his facial gestures and overreaction. Aylmer said the only thing that was keeping her from being perfect was the birth-mark. He wanted to get rid of it and she just wanted the birth-mark gone so Aylmer thinks she’s beautiful. The whole time Aylmer was obsessing over the birth-mark rather than just accepting her for who she is. When he finally got rid of the birth-mark was he happy? I think he lost what should be his only happiness – Georgiana.
Both Jig and Georgiana are alike. They didn’t really care about themselves; they were only trying to satisfy the men in their lives. In the end they both die. Although Jig and the American agreed with each other that their friends who went through with the abortion were much happier. I don’t believe that their friends were actually happier; the women who lose a part of themselves wouldn’t come out of the operation and just go back to what they were before. On the outside they may seem happy, but no one really knows how they’re really feeling inside. Jig was definitely thinking about the baby. Often times when people were talking to her, her mind wasn’t there. Georgiana drank the mix; she lost the birth-mark, but she also lost her life.
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