You gave my hyacinths & The girls in their summer dresses

Two short stories You gave my hyacinths by Janette Turner Hospital and The girls in their summer dresses by Irwin Shaw explore serious human sexual desires. Both stories share a tone of desperation in them. The main characters carry external conflicts with the minor characters. In both stories the main characters go through a situation in which they are to bring a change to themselves by changing the minor characters behavior and attitude but end …

…earlier. The conflicts in both stories rise quickly and so are settled quickly. Throughout the story the main characters struggle to help the minor characters to improve them. The teacher tries to show the girl the right path; Frances tries to tell Michael the right way in which she feels happy and safe. However through this process they themselves learn something new from them and cope with the new learning's to start living normally again.