Danika White
Donald Stanley
ENGL 1001
Assignment 3
February 26 2014

Out of Necessity: The Compared and Contrasted Views of Two Marital Relationships.
D.H Lawrence’s short story, “The Horse Dealers Daughter”, can be compared, as well as contrasted, to Ernest Hemmingway’s short story, “Hills like White Elephants”. Both of these stories have marital themes incorporated in, and present many similarities and differences. One striking comparison found within both is the implied marital necessity between the characters involved. The contrasted settings, both physical and emotional, in these short stories are also quite noticeable. Lawrence’s character, Miss Mabel Pervin shows a self-reliant woman of twenty-seven who, although could have been attractive, has a permanently cold expression, “She would have been good-looking, save for the impressive fixity of her face, “bull-dog,” as her brothers called it”. (p. 840). When Jack Ferguson rescues Mabel from attempted suicide, it is the beginning of unique love story. Nearing the end of the story, both Mabel and Jack have declared their love, even though Jack had never entertained the thought of loving her before, “He had never thought of loving her. He never wanted to love her”. (p.848). Without her pride or financial security, Mabel’s identity seems to have disappeared; by becoming Mrs. Jack Ferguson, she has the opportunity to recreate herself. Jack could also benefit from a marriage, as his lonely lifestyle does not fulfill his needs, “He had a horror of yielding to her. Yet something in him ached also”. (p.849). A marital union between Mabel and Jack would solve her poverty predicament and his lonesome way of life. Prior to the rescue, there were no obvious romantic feelings exchanged between the two; however, there is mention of Jack’s fascination and curiosity concerning Mabel, “He slowed down as he walked, watching her as if spellbound”. (p.845). Therefore, we can conclude that the proposed marriage between Mabel Pervin and Jack Ferguson was initiated out of necessity, as opposed to romantic attachment. Hemmingway’s, “Hills like White Elephants”, also carries the theme of marriage out necessity, as shown by his characters, the American and his companion, Jig. Throughout the story, the American persistently tries to convince Jig that an abortion is a simple and worthwhile operation. Although claiming he loves her, the American portrays that he is not ready to give up his carefree lifestyle, “That’s the only thing that bothers us. It’s the only thing that’s made us unhappy”. (p.663). However, Jig is unconvinced and verbally fights against the decision. Ultimately, she has two options: terminate the pregnancy as he wants, or go through with it and displease him. It would seem that if she disregards his wishes and keeps the child, a necessary marriage might become the result. The American would be responsible for supporting his child financially; and if he were as devoted to Jig as he claimed, marrying her would be the obvious answer. Unfortunately, the story ends without indication of what the couple decides. A safe assumption would be that if the result were marriage, it would have been out of necessity. The two settings of these stories show great contrast, in both physically and emotionally. Emotionally, Mabel Pervin portrays a proud woman; it is not until the end that she reveals her insecurities. On the other side, Jig paints the picture of a confidant girl who, although being forced to make a difficult decision, remains pleasant, “The girl smiled brightly at the woman, to thank her”. (p.664). The physical atmosphere differs drastically between the stories as well, which helps contribute to both emotional settings. D.H Lawrence illustrates the dark atmosphere of his story through descriptive wording, “It was grey, deadened, and wintry, with a slow, moist, heavy coldness sinking in and deadening all the faculties”. (p. 845). Ernest Hemmingway was less depressing in his writing, using language that portrays a warm, bright day that matches the controlled, although evasive, bickering between the companions. The contrasted setting of these stories shows an obvious difference in atmospheres. The thought of marriage in both stories is comparable, as the characters felt little or no romantic attachment towards one another, with the exception of receiving personal gain. Different uses of descriptive words also play a large role in contrasting the settings.

Work Cited
Lawrence, D.H. “The Horse Dealers Daughter.” The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Ed. R. Bausch, R. Cassill. New York, 2006. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 2006. 839-851.
Hemingway, Ernest. “Hills like White Elephants.” The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Ed. R. Bausch, R. Cassill. New York, 2006. New York: W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., 2006. 661-665.