The author of "Turned" focuses more intently than "The Withered Arm" on interior details. The rooms are described as being "beautiful" and "harmonious", and then later when Mr Marroner returns home as "clean", "bald" and "unsympathetic" to show the change that has occurred. The mention of luxurious possessions is put to use so that later subtle comparisons can be made about the new house.
Through going into more detail about the places involved in "The Withered Arm", it emerges that the author creates a more realistic and panoramic view of events. The story commences with a location, and within this others are mentioned, such as the "Great Weir", and "Anglebury", and a description of Egdon Heath as having a "dark countenance" almost creates another character. Visually this allows the reader to imagine and create vivid compositions in their own mind, which allows the story to develop more. "Turned" does not provide as much for the imagination because it is so explicit in the details.
In the same way, "The Withered Arm" appears superior to "Turned" by way of language used. This can be found in "Turned" when the author describes Mrs Marroner as having "forgotten her elaborate dress, the more elaborate bedcover; forgotten her dignity". The phrase does show she is suffering due to a terrible ordeal, and yet it seems unlikely that in a clam state of mind she would focus on these particular items. Therefore this phrase emerges as being simply a technique on the author's part to overwrite. This is entirely un-engaging for the reader, because a mere description makes it difficult to empathise with characters.
In complete contrast to this, Hardy uses language very effectively to alter the temperament of the characters, the characters, the atmosphere, and the suspense of the situation. For example, the opening of "The Withered Arm" is very gently, allowing the reader to become adjusted to the style of the piece. However, when Rhoda has her vision of Gertrude Lodge, the language becomes intensified and at a much faster pace, with the use of devices such as alliteration in "maddened mentally", and extreme adjectives like "features shockingly distorted", "wrinkled", "pressure", "cruelly" and "suffocated". Such diversity of language within the short story allows for suspense and interest to be created.
The structure of "The Withered Arm" also allows for the author to manipulate the events in order to evoke feelings or surprise and curiosity. "The Withered Arm" is a novella, and Hardy was the first author to demonstrate the use of the cliffhanger at the end of the small chapters. There is evidence of this at the end of "A Vision", where Hardly used a rhetorical question, as though it is Rhoda herself placing the inquiry. She says,
"Could this be the explanation, and had such things as this ever happened before?"
In visually placing the question, the author is allowing the reader to ponder the matter, and to come to their own conclusions about the subject, without it being dictated to them through the prose.
In comparison with the subtlety of "The Withered Arm", the narrative in "Turned" has a stilted effect. The descriptions are elaborate, with a collection of very sophisticated phrases such as "overwhelming, unbelievably horror", "immeasurable loss" and "turbulent, struggling mass", but whereas Hardy uses his style to allow the reader to empathise with the character, Gilman does not achieve this. The surplus adjectives serve to detract from the actions of Mrs Marroner, and make the plot seem contrived, and perhaps this is merely a ploy to put feminist ideas in the readers' minds. The unappealing quality of the writing is evident in the way the author provides very little suspense. For example, the author tells of the father of Gerta's baby through the trivial matter of the letter confusion, and this prevents the author using this scene to evoke mystery and intrigue.
Both "Turned" and "The Withered Arm" primarily begin with illustrations of the consequences of betrayal. This is shown in the way that Mrs Marroner is "sobbing" and Gerta "confused with agony", and Rhoda is "thin" and "worn" with her house situated in a "lonely" spot. As both plots develop the cause of these circumstances become apparent, and this helps to generate sympathy for the women, and animosity towards the men.
Attitudes towards the male characters are an important issue for readers in both accounts. In "The Withered Arm" the author shrewdly moulds the thoughts of the reader mainly through the consequences suffered by the women. Farmer Lodge is illustrated as a very shallow, superficial man. He has disowned Rhoda, and takes "no notice" of is son; instead he has traded them for "a woman, many years his junior". He has disregarded the moral implications of having a son, and whilst Rhoda lives in relative deprivation, he enjoys a plentiful existence. The farmer's fickle nature is established in how he treats Gertrude as though she is a possession, and his prize. When Rhoda's son relates to his mother the entrance of the couple he witnessed at church, he communicates how Gertrude seemed uncomfortable as her dress "whewed and whistled", and that she "coloured up more than ever for the shame". However Farmer Lodge exhibits a complete lack of awareness of her embarrassment, and is instead "pleased". He is proud of having a wife who excels any other in the vicinity, and has the vanity to consider her as belonging to him.
The callousness of the farmer's attitude evokes in the reader disapproval and hostility, due to the lack of respect and care that he shows towards his young wife, and also the way he has rejected is former partner. Concern is evoked for the women through the appalling behaviour they are subjected to. This results in the culmination of the plot being more enthralling, as the reader wishes to discover the destiny of the farmer.
There is an even stronger emphasis on the plight of the women in "Turned", but in this story the occurrences focus more on the women triumphing over the men, despite their hardships. Mrs Marroner's capacity for rational thought, conveyed through the pattern of three adjectives, establishes reader compassion, because she it is necessary for her to remain clearheaded despite the mortifying discovery.
The author pays close attention to the strength of Mrs Marroner and Gerta in a crisis, and contrasts this with a change of style on Mr Marroner's return. The author introduces the concept of "sin of man against woman" through Mrs Marroner's soliloquy, underlining how serious the offence of Mr Marroner exploiting the "helpless infancy" of the "ignorant" Gerta is. As Mrs Marroner's anger builds the imagery develops to "icy peaks" of "outrage", and this compared to the sparse sentences of, "No wife was there," and, "No servant answered it" shows that the author wishes her audience to have no commiseration for Mr Marroner.
Even though Mr Marroner appears to be reforming by employing "detectives" to make "careful enquiries" about the whereabouts of Mrs Marroner, this act is soon portrayed as one of selfishness. He makes excuses that his wife is "travelling - for ill health", and even the investigation is "urged to utmost secrecy". Mr Marroner, it seems, is more anxious about his reputation, and his passionless nature is evident in how he fees no remorse for what he has done, but instead blames Gerta for having "taken his wife from him". The author is encouraging the reader to feel bitter and frustrated at the attitude of Mr Marroner so that the women are illustrated as the worthier sex. The extremity of the respect shown for the women through the text suggests that the writing is feminist propaganda. Although the women are depicted as having some faults, a balance is made with their ability to create a new environment despite having faced adversity. Mr Marroner, however, remains throughout a calculating, thoughtless and ungrateful man, possibly symbolising men in general.
With just three characters, the relationships within "Turned" seem less advanced than those in "The Withered Arm". There is little reference to the marital contentment of Mr and Mrs Marroner, other than the mention of the "long, loving, frequent letters" received from Mr Marroner during his absence", and the manner in which Mrs Marroner "impulsively kissed" them or arrival. This indicates that the couple is fulfilled within their marital alliance. The author instead makes a more refined point of the relationship between Gerta and Mrs Marroner. Mrs Marroner is described as being initially very "fond" of Gerta, attempting "to educate her somewhat", and that she has grown to "love the patient, sweet-natured child". The fondness is reciprocates, as Gerta is "full of grateful affection for the patient care". This allows the reader to understand the reaction of Mrs Marroner, and also makes the survival of Mrs Marroner and Gerta's relationship more impressive, because they become even closer despite what has taken place.
Similarities between the aforementioned relationship can be seen in the friendship of Rhoda and Gertrude. They form a bond even though there is a significant contrast between age and circumstance. Both Rhoda and Gertrude could be seen as presenting characteristics like those of Gerta. Rhoda is fairly advanced in her years, and yet she is in some ways vulnerable. She has to endure the whisperings of the farm workers, and also being a single mother is a strain. Having been branded "a witch" and "never having understood why that particular stigma had been attached to her" also makes her sensitive to others' opinions of her. Gertrude is admittedly more financially stable, but she too is lonely. She forges a friendship with Rhoda's son, offering to "come and bring" him "some better boots" and "other useful articles". She even reaches out to Rhoda, pleading with her to go and visit Conjuror Trendle, because "on no account" must her husband know. Rhoda is at first unwilling to be Gertrude's ally because Gertrude is her "successor", and yet she feels that "this innocent young thing should have her blessing and not her curse". As with Mrs Marroner and Gerta, Rhoda and Gertrude's companionship is formed through abnormal circumstances.
The resilience of Gerta and Mrs Marroner is sternly portrayed in the ending of the short story. Mr Marroner seeks out his wife, expecting that "surely she would forgive him - she must forgive him", but instead of accepting his "honest remorse" she remains "definitely impersonal". Gerta's "adoring eyes" and now "fixed on her friend - not on him", showing that Mr Marroner has lost his influence on both lives.
In the same way that Mr Marroner is now considered unimportant, Farmer Lodge suffers consequences of the way in which he acted towards Rhoda and Gertrude. Clearly the most shocking of these is Gertrude's death, and this effects him substantially. After sinking first into "moodiness and remorse" he eventually changes "for the better", which allows the reader to finally feel some pity for him.
Whereas in "Turned" the women are illustrated as being very contented at the end, "The Withered Arm" is not as stylised. Rhoda returns to "her old parish" and continues to milk at the dairy "till her form" becomes "bent". With adjectives such as "sombre" and "impassive" a melancholy feel is created, and after the ending, the reader continues to ponder the impact of all the events.
