The Haves And The Have Nots

3 Pages 723 Words

The Haves and Have-Nots is a book that contains many short stories all dealing with money or the lack of it and how it affects peoples lives. When looking for stories to compare and contrast “Hope Deferred” and “Mrs. Beazley’s Deeds” come to mind. These two stories are similar in the way that they are both about married couples living in poverty. Marriage is a difficult task in itself, but when poverty is involved it makes it much more difficult. Because of this we see all the love that is shared between these two couples. However, although the stories share the same theme of financial difficulty, they differ in the way the couples love each other.

Poverty is the common theme of both of the stories. The Edwards are living on close to nothing, but are making the best of whatever they can. They have a place to live and find means to survive, but the love they have for one another is the main factor that keeps them going, despite the discrimination they encounter in the white racist town they live in. “Waiters wanted none but white men need apply.” In “Mrs. Beazley’s Deeds, the couple is faced with financial hardships as well, however, they are on a different level. The Edward’s are just unfortunate in the way that they are black and are unable to find work; they were also probably born into poverty. However, the Beazley’s situation is due to Mr. Beazley’s business decisions. They own a store and many properties in the area, but his poor decisions forced them into bankruptcy and they had to keep borders in their home to make extra money.
The property that Mr. Beazley lost belonged to his wife, and without permission he made decisions which affected his wife and their three children. “ “Your going to sell the Rockford lot – I know it! How could you do it William? The very last piece of what my father left me!” “ Mr. Beazley minded her outcry no more than he minded the squawking of a to...