Comparing Short Stories 'Initiation And The Opportunity'

Achieving true happiness is a good for many. For some, the way to achieve that happiness is by being true to themselves. This is a theme seen in many short stories, such as “One Thousand Dollars”, “Initiation”, and “The Opportunity”. In each of these stories the protagonist finds happiness by being true to themselves. By being true to himself, the main character, Gillian, in “One Thousand Dollars” achieves true happiness when he decides to give Miss Hayden the $1,000 dollars because he loves her. For Example, in the story Gillian states, “’Paid by the black sheep, Robert Gillian $1,000 dollars on the account of eternal happiness, owed by heaven to the best and dearest woman on earth’” (392). I know that Gillian’s statement is true because Throughout the whole story Gillian keeps asking people what they would do with $1,000 while Old Bryson states things that could be done with the money but in
the end decides to give it to Miss Hayden. He gives her the money stating that he loves her and that she deserves it as well as he wants her to have it.
In the same way Millicent in the story, Initiation, was caring and was making the right choices which helped her gained happiness by not doing the wrong thing like joining the sorority, which she also left for her friends.
For instance, Millicent says to herself, “How she had proved something to herself by going through everything, even rat court, and then deciding not to join the sorority at all” (406). Which proves she indeed gained her happiness by realizing that going through the rat court wasn’t the best choice for her but she did it. She also realized that she rather be with her friends than to be popular with the sorority.
In addition to those, Elise does the right thing in, The Opportunity, is by refusing to do the play which could lead to happiness. I know this because Elise tells the producer “’I read the play last night, I don’t want to be it’” (429). This shows that Elise, thought she would be happy to be on stage and preform in theatre, until she read the first play and she didn’t like it so she gained happiness by rejecting to do something she thinks isn’t
good. Clearly, being true to oneself to achieve happiness is a theme seen in literature; however, it can also be seen in real life. I know this because n my life when I’m true to myself I do indeed achieve happiness. I realize that I’m being honest to myself and doing the right thing which allows people to like me for me and trust me. This makes me happy knowing people like me for who am and can really trust who I am.