People
in our society are constantly striving to impress and make others happy instead
of focusing on their own personal needs and desires. As a result, true
happiness is never in fact achieved on the inside but is just portrayed on the
outside. This theme of appeasement is greatly illustrated in the short stories,
“The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne and, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte
Perkins Gilman. Both Gilman and Georgiana are very obedient to their husbands
and always strive to make them happy no matter what it means for themselves. In
addition, Mother Teresa is a woman who dedicated her whole life as a Roman
Catholic Nun to helping the poorest and sickest people of Calcutta even if it
meant sacrificing her happiness and comfortable lifestyle.
In “The Birthmark”, Aylmer becomes
increasingly fixated with the birthmark on his wife Georgiana’s face. His
negative obsession leads him to confront Georgiana about it and even offer her
a potion to try and remove it. At first Georgiana felt very upset and betrayed
by her husband for not looking past her imperfection. She states, “Then why did
you take me from my mother’s side? You cannot love what shocks you” (Hawthorne
212). However, after being put down by Aylmer’s words and distasteful glares,
Georgiana decided to swallow her pride and do what would please her husband
over making herself happy. She states, “Let the attempt be made, at whatever
risk. Danger is nothing to me; for life, while this hateful mark makes me the
object of your horror and disgust - life is a burden which I would fling down
with joy” (Hawthorne 215). In other words, Georgiana realizes just how upset
her birthmark makes Aylmer and decides his happiness is more important than her
feelings and own happiness.
Similar to Georgiana, Perkins
Gilman, author and character of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is also a woman who
willingly hands over her happiness in order to appease her husband. For
instance, Gilman loves writing more than anything but is well aware that her
husband John does not like when she writes because of her mental instability.
Therefore, Gilman must be secretive and limited when she writes in order to not
make her husband upset. For example, while writing Gilman sees her husband
coming and states, “There comes John, and I must put this away, he hates to
have me write a word” (Gilman 309). Gilman’s anxiousness and compliance to her
husband’s no writing rule shows that she is willing to almost give up something
that she is so passionate about in order to maintain her husband’s happiness.
In addition, Gilman also explains in the beginning of the story how much she hates
the room she is living in and even calls it atrocious. However, when she asked
John to renovate her room he responds with, “You know the place is doing you
good, and really dear I don’t care to renovate the house just for a three
months’ rental” (Gilman 310). Following this response Gilman decides her
husband is right and says, “But he is right about the beds and windows and
things” followed by “I would not be so silly as to make him uncomfortable just
for a whim” (Gilman 310). It is clear that Gilman changed her opinion of her room
as a result of her husband’s persuasion. Her mind-set is ultimately that her
husband is always right and in order for both of them to be happy, she must
agree with everything he says and believes is right.
In terms of “The Birthmark” and “The
Yellow Wallpaper”, appeasement is something that is carried out to satisfy
others while neglecting one’s own happiness. However, appeasement can also be
carried out in a way that helping others and sacrificing all that you have for
the sake of others is a passion and a calling. For example, Mother Teresa was a
Roman Catholic nun who devoted her life to helping the poor and those that no
one else could help. “In 1952, Mother Teresa opened a home for dying and
destitute people in Calcutta named Nirmal Hriday (“Pure Heart”) where she cared
for and gave love to the unwanted in hopes that she could provide them with
dignity and faith as they died” (Tucker). By leaving her convent to open this
home and live and work with the sickest and poorest people of India, Mother
Teresa showed that she was a person who would make any personal sacrifice to
not only help others but make them happy as well. Mother Teresa once said, "If our actions are just useful actions that give no joy to the
people, our poor people would never be able to rise up to the call which we
want them to hear, the call to come closer to God. We want to make them feel
that they are loved" (Tucker). Mother Teresa did not help others for her
own happiness or sense of personal pride. Instead she did it for the sole
purpose of making those who have lost everything emotionally and physically
discover happiness and meaning in their lives even if that discovery comes
moments before death.
The beautiful work of Mother Teresa is
rightfully shown in several documentaries as well as books. “The most
well-known documentary titled, “Mother Teresa” (1986) directed by Ann and
Jeanette Petrie follows Mother Teresa around on her day to day routines”
(Petrie). Being able to capture the life of Mother Teresa directly through her
eyes allows viewers to truly understand all that Mother Teresa has sacrificed
in order to help others.
In
conclusion, striving to appease or make others happy is an instinct that comes
naturally to many people. Some try to appease others in hopes of receiving
their acceptance and love in return. Meanwhile, other people do it for the sole
purpose of creating happiness and hope in others’ lives no matter what it means
for their own life. Both Georgiana of “The Birthmark” and Gilman of “The Yellow
Wallpaper” live to satisfy their husbands even if it means giving up a passion
or something very important to them. They believe that their happiness can only
be fueled by maintaining the happiness of the people they love. Also, Mother
Teresa is a real world example of what selflessly helping and satisfying others
truly involves. She willingly entered a world of poverty and suffering in order
to bring happiness and comfort to complete strangers. In the end, everyone has
the ability to appease others. However, only few are equipped with the
unconditional love and selfless spirit to truly change the life of another
person for the better.
Works Cited
Gilman, Charlotte P. "The Yellow Wallpaper." The
Norton Introduction to Literature. By Kelly J. Mays. 11th ed. New York: W.
W, Norton, 2014. 307-20. Print.
Hawthorne, Nathaniel. "The Birthmark." The
Norton Introduction to Literature. By Kelly J. Mays. 11th ed. New York: W.
W, Norton, 2014. 211-25. Print.
Mother
Teresa.
Perf. Mother Teresa, Richard Attenborough. Petrie Productions, 1986. Film.
Tucker, Ruth A. "Mother Teresa." Christian
History 19.1 (2000): 20. ATLA Religion Database. Web. 1 Dec. 2014.
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