Secrets: The Silent Tormentor

“For sin is just this, what man cannot by its very nature do with his whole being; it is possible to silence the conflict in the soul, but it is not possible to uproot it."
-Martin Buber
Silence can be deadly. And it is the concealment of secrets that forces people into a world of solitude, undoubtedly pushing them into a downward spiral into madness. Perhaps the largest problem that has faced mass populations and individuals throughout history is the inability to speak up for oneself during a time of crisis. Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills like White Elephants;” Jhumpa Lahiri’s “Interpreter of Maladies;” and Michael Cunningham’s novel and movie, “The Hours” reflect the inner struggles of an individual when forced into a world of silence. Perhaps the recurring element that presents itself in all three literary works is the conflict that springs from hidden desires and emotions. The conflict being, that once an individual is driven to hide his or her true desire’s based on Society’s standards, he or she must confront a series of crossroads with: society, their self and significant people in their lives.

Society pressures individuals into concealing thoughts and actions it deems taboo based on “its” values and norms. And individuals dangerously make extreme efforts to keep such thoughts and actions hidden, so as not disturb the flow of life. However in doing so, one must decide whether they should put aside their own desires so as not to be deemed perverted, or ignore society’s “rules” and do as he or she pleases. This is the first crossroads one will encounter.

Hemingway brilliantly highlights a scene where a confused Jug is being coerced into getting an unwanted abortion; with the use of inference, by an American lover. ““…You don’t have to be afraid. I’ve known lots of people that have done it.” “So have I,” said the girl. “And afterward they were all so happy.” “Well,” the man said, “if you don’t want to you don’t have to. I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to. But I know it’s perfectly simple.”” (Hemingway 115). In this scene, the man as well as Jug herself, are trying to convince her that although Society is against abortions, the rather “simple” operation is the best choice to make at this set of crossroads. However, this only leads Jug into a further emotional isolation, much like Lahiri’s character; Mrs. Das.

Mrs. Das; an Indian American wife; was thrown into the roles of wife, mother, and homemaker at a very early age, roles in which she was never fully prepared to play. “After marrying so young she was overwhelmed by it all, having a child so quickly, and nursing, and warming up bottles of milk and testing their temperature against her wrist while Raj was at work…”( Lahiri 63). Mrs. Das knew that society expects women to have the maternal and domestic instincts that are intertwined with marriage and building a family. However, Mrs. Das, like so many silent women, were never quite content with just being married and having children. And at this very moment in this scene, Mrs. Das is finally admitting that when it came down to Society versus herself, society had won, and now she must come to terms with her unhappiness.

Unfortunately, in Cunningham’s’ The Hour, his portrayal of Virginia Woolf was the epitome of Society’s brute influence on the human spirit and mind. “I've been attended by doctors, who inform me OF MY OWN INTERESTS.” (The Hours). “This is my right; it is the right of every human being. I choose not the suffocating anesthetic of the suburbs, but the violent jolt of the Capital, that is my choice. The meanest patient, yes, even the very lowest is allowed some say in the matter of her own prescription. Thereby she defines her humanity. I wish, for your sake, Leonard, I could be happy in this quietness.” (The Hour). In this scene, Woolf is arguing with her husband Leonard, that the men in society are forcing their views upon her and it is causing her to go mad. She is constantly fighting a battle between what she wants and what society is trying to thrust upon her. And the only thing she wants is to simply return to her home in London, where her family and friends reside. However, her cries for help were shunned, thus resulting in an internal battle.

Once society has cast an iron grip on your life, it is hard to escape it. In fact, most people often found their inner desire belittled and ignored, thus resulting in an internal conflict. Therefore, emotional isolation brought on our conflict with society results in a conflict with ourselves.

Hemingway slowly depicts the battle within Jug with scene where Jug continues to question whether or not she really wants to have the child inside of her. ““They’re lovely hills,” she said. “They don’t really look like white elephants. I just meant the coloring of their skin through the trees.”” (Hemingway 115). In this scene, Jug goes as far as negating the statement she said when she referred to the hills as white elephants. White elephants are creatures or gifts in the Asian culture that are exceptionally difficult to maintain; much like children. And Jug, wanting to convince the American that perhaps having a child will not be so expensive and living a grounded lifestyle would not be so bad, hopes that she can have some sort of peace of mind if he agrees with her. This is the second type of crossroad.

Lahiri similarly displays a troubled Mrs. Das with overbearing guilt about her lack of domestic and maternal skills and desires. ““It means that I’m tired of feeling so terrible all of the time. Eight years, Mr. Kapasi, I’ve been in pain eight years”” (Lahiri 65). In this scene, Mrs. Das is clearly acknowledging the fight she has had with herself every day for the past eight years. One can infer that the weight of society on her shoulders grew far too heavy for her to bear, and slowly she began to cave inside. This also being the case for Virginia Woolf in Cunningham’s novel.

Perhaps the most compelling of Woolf’s statements in her life was this, “If I were thinking clearly, Leonard, I would tell you that I wrestle alone in the dark, in the deep dark, and that only I can know. Only I can understand my condition. You live with the threat, you tell me you live with the threat of my extinction. Leonard, I live with it too.” (The Hour ). By this statement, one can only imagine the hell that Woolf must endure when she is constantly told that she as a woman must obey all men, care for children, and put aside all personal aspirations for the good of society. This is the primary example of a conflict with one’s self. She is in constant threat of losing her sanity, taking her life, and worse, losing all of her humanity.

Once the battle against society and your own internal demons arises, the only thing left is to seek help. Thus, the “you versus a significant person in your life” occurs. This deriving from the essential need to connect with someone and seek guidance from them, but usually results in disappointment and pain.

Hemingway’s Jug, sought approval from the American man, by trying to get him to want her to have the baby. ““ And you really want to?” “I think it’s the best thing to do. But I don’t want you to do it if you don’t really want to.” “And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?”” (Hemingway 115). Guidance is essential when trying to ease the mind, however, the results usually leave one more confused and pained.

In Lahiri’s story, Mrs. Das confesses her sins to Mr. Kapasi as if he was a priest and she was the sinner. “I was hoping you could help me feel better, say the right thing. Suggest some kind of remedy.” (Lahiri 65). Mrs. Das assumed that because Mr. Kapasi interprets maladies for a living, that perhaps he can provide a cure for her internal sickness. However, she is disappointed with what little she is given to work with by Mr. Kapasi’s question on whether it was just guilt that plagued her. This only left Mrs. Das hurt, like Jug, and Virginia Woolf.

In one scene of The Hours, Woolf states “I can't think of anything more exhilarating than a trip to London.” (The Hours), while sitting with her husband, Leonard. And at this moment she wants him to go with her. She pleads for him to return them to London. And Leonard gives in, but when he fails to keep his end of the bargain and discouraged Woolf depicts her own future in the novel she is writing. “I was going to kill my heroine. But I've changed my mind. I fear I may have to kill someone else, instead… It's on this day. This day of all days. Her fate becomes clear to her.” (The Hours).  It is here that Virginia Woolf decides to take her own life by collecting rocks and putting them in her robe pockets so that they may weigh her down in the river. This is what secrets and silence does to a person. It erodes their innards. It shows that society has won.