Author Archives: emily.wong3

In both stories “Hills like White Elephants” and “The Birthmark”, I think it’s weird how stories about happiness can be so sad.  Jig and Georgiana were portrayed as vulnerable females whose only chance at happiness is to make their significant others happy.  In both cases, both females throw away their own happiness because then mens’ happiness is more important to them than anything else.  I don’t think these two stories depict how everyone feels about happiness.  I think it’s important to consider the happiness of those you love, but to the extent of Georgiana and Jig is a bit extreme.  Happiness should come from YOU actually wanting to do it, not because someone else wants you to.  You shouldn’t be forced to do something you don’t want to in order to make someone else happy, because that’s not how you gain happiness.  In the story “Hills like White Elephants”, We can clearly tell through dialect and narration that Jig didn’t really want the abortion, because of how much she emphasizes on “being back to how we were”.  She wanted the carefree relationship she had with the man she loved, because they were both happy.  But with the baby in her tummy, it created unwanted problems and stress between the couple.  Women these days are much more independent and can stand up for their own happiness, much unlike Jig.  In “The Birthmark”, Georgiana was extremely unhappy because her husband was so disgusted by a tiny flaw on her cheek.  In a situation like that today, most women would’ve just left him!  If you have such a beautiful woman as your wife, tell me WHY you aren’t happy with her.  I think everyone strives for happiness for themselves nowadays, and especially in cities like New York City.