Istupe 1

Lucia Istupe

Professor Ditch

English 114A

28 March 2019

Are They Happy?

Happiness is something one seek, yet it is not as simple to find. One can say they are

happy when they are just satisfied as well as saying they are unhappy when they are going

through a temporary rough patch in life. The novel, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie

Society, takes place in a WWII. The novel consists of letters written to characters in the novel.

These characters create a “society” as a place to discuss books but can be interpreted as a safe

space for them where they do not have to think about the war. They discussed books and ate

food. Elizabeth McKenna was the founder of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

She and her friends expanded the group so that others could join. Sidney Stark is a publisher of

one of the authors the society has read. Elizabeth McKenna went through suffering but always

had a love for life. Elizabeth always offered others on the island warm encouragement in difficult

times or even just did them a favor. Sidney Stark also had a bit of a rough time but always kept a

zen attitude and his intentions to make others happy never failed. Someone who is truly happy

with themselves would want others around them to be happy as well. Not all humans are

genuinely happy but Elizabeth McKenna and Sidney Stark are just that, genuinely happy.

Elizabeth McKenna might not seem happy at first but if you look in between the lines,

you can see that she is. In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society it states, “In the

interests of delicacy, I drew a veil on the true nature of that group and their founder, Elizabeth

McKenna”. (Shaffer 81) Elizabeth McKenna started the society as a way to discuss books with
 Istupe 2

others. The society can be looked at as an outlet from the war and other life events currently

taking place. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society later became a place where

friends can come together in a safe environment. They did not have to worry about the war or

other issues; They could live at ease, even if it is just for brief moments. The time of the war

caused a lot of suffering, and David Brooks believed that suffering lead to happiness.

In What Suffering Does, David Brooks states, “The suffering involved in their task

becomes a fearful gift and very different than that equal and other gift, happiness, conventionally

defined.” (Brooks 287) Suffering is referred to as a gift in a sense that with it one can become a

more “vulnerable” and different person when suffering. Only those who have gone through

suffering would understand how to empathies with others, which is what makes it a gift.

Someone who is suffering is now finding new limits through suffering. It is a healing process

beyond one’s control. Suffering is what helps someone achieve happiness no through suffering

its self but through the actions that are taken doffing and after ones suffering. Although suffering

is not intentional, it is the action one takes to achieve the happiness they seek Suffering is

considered a gift because what we receive from it can only be obtainable when one is vulnerable.

The war was a tough time for everyone but with the society they were able to handle it. The

characters were seeing comfort in something and they found comfort in the Society. It was

helpful for them and brought happiness to those involved, even Elizabeth McKenna.

Another example of Elizabeth McKenna’s would be in The Guernsey Literary and Potato

Peel Pie Society where it states, “The Society members have colluded amongst themselves to

raise the bastard child of Elizabeth McKenna and her German soldier!” (Shaffer 81) Elizabeth

had knowingly associated with a German soldier even though she knew it would not be accepted

during this time period. Given that this is based on the time of the war; the Germans were
 Istupe 3

considered the “enemy” so it was not the best idea for her to even become friends with a German

soldier. She also had a baby not long after Christian Hellman, the German soldier, had departed

and she decided to keep the baby. Her baby gave her happiness and a chance to experience

motherhood. She was content with her choice and therefore is happy. Elizabeth McKenna’s

encounter with Christian Hellman impacted her life greatly; he brought her happiness with Kit.

The author Jack Kornfield claims in Why We Should Seek Happiness Even in Hard

Times, “Wherever we go, we can be a beacon of well-being, love, and care that not only touches

but uplifts those whom we encounter.”(Suttie) Jack Kornfield is saying that the way act can

affect the way someone feels; it can change someone life. Elizabeth McKenna may have had a

small encounter with Christian, but it impacted her life tremendously. She gave birth to her

daughter, Kit, and experienced motherhood which a lot of people say is a life-altering

experience. Having her child was blissful and the experience of being a mother in a time of pain.

Others would be shocked about her having a child with a German soldier, but she did not mind

because it was her child and Kit helped her find happiness in a tough time.

Another happy character is be Sidney Stark. He may seem like a supporting character at

first, but Sidney’s actions, although they might be small, are what stood out to me. In the novel,

there is a cable from Sidney to Juliet saying “Trip home delayed. Fell off a horse, broken leg.

Piers nursing…It was the other one. Don’t worry-little pain” (Shaffer 83,84). In this quote

Sidney is brushing off his injury rather than making a big deal about it. Sidney did not complain

about his leg injury and even acted as if it was not a big deal. Earlier in the text, Juliet had made

a joke and Sidney Stark continued on with the joke. Sidney is okay with laughing about his bad

situation. He also does not complain about his situation even though it is unpleasant. He
 Istupe 4

maintains a positive attitude through his situation even though he could complain. Sidney

maintains a zen attitude which is an example of him being happy.

The Journalist Leo Babauta states in How to Find Happiness Within, “So the key skill is

to learn to notice, accept and appreciate everything around us, and everyone we see and interact

with.”(Babauta) The journalist Babauta, is saying that one should love what is around them and

apricate what they have even when life is not at its best. Sidney Stark accepted his situation and

had a very calm towards falling off the horse and breaking his leg. Also, on the same page where

tells Juliet about his leg, he tells her to just keep sending letters rather than sending comforting

books and food. He chose to engage and interact with Juliet rather than telling her he wanted to

rest and heal his leg. That is an example of happiness because he is understanding of his

situation, and he is accepting it rather than complaining.

Sidney Stark demonstrates another example of his happiness in the novel where it states,

“If she marries him, she'll spend the rest of her life being shown to people at theaters and clubs

and weekends and she'll never write another book. As her editor, I'm dismayed by the prospect,

but as her friend, I'm horrified. It will be the end of our Juliet.”(Shaffer 193) Sidney figures that

if Juliet marries Mark she will be unhappy being eye candy and a house wife for him. Sidney is

looking out for his friend and her happiness rather than thinking about the money he would lose

from sales which would grant him pleasure. Sidney is being a good friend by placing Juliet’s

happiness before his, a completely selfless act, and for that, I believe he is happy. Also, he is

concerned about what her readers will think about her not writing another book again. He is

placing both Juliet’s happiness and the happiness of her readers above his happiness. Sidney is

also showing happiness through intentional activity.

 Istupe 5

The author Sonja Lyubomirsky states in The How of Happiness, “In a nutshell, the

foundation of happiness can be found in how you behave, what you think, and what goals you set

every day of your life. ‘There is no happiness without action.’” (Lyubomirsky 196). Her

argument is that happiness is based on how one behaves and how one thinks. One can be put

through the worst life event imaginable, but having a positive mentality and having happy

thoughts is what is going to improve the situation they are in. Lyubomirsky demonstrates that in

order to achieve happiness, one should look less at circumstances and more on set point and

intentional activity. The action that is taken is the main impact on happiness. Sidney Stark wrote

a letter to express how he feels about Juliet marrying Mark and how she will not be the same nor

happy if she goes through the wedding. His intentional activity was helping out Juliet rather than

his self because he is already happy with himself and his life. He did not rely on things to just

work themselves out, he took action and did something bold to make sure his friend was making

the decision. He wants to help his friends and that is also what is granting him happiness.

Genuine happiness is not something someone stumbles across. It takes suffering and

intentional activity, as well as having a zen attitude and an appreciation of life. The character

Elizabeth McKenna went through suffering due to the war but she started The Guernsey Literary

and Potato Peel Society to help herself and others distract themselves from the war. She also had

a baby, Kit, with a German soldier but she had an appreciation of life and an appreciation of

motherhood. Also, the character Sidney Stark was zen about breaking his leg and did not

complain. He also used intentional activity, but to increase his happiness; It was to ensure that

Juliet was happy and that her readers we happy as well. Although both Elizabeth and Sidney

went through some suffering and some temporary rough paths in their life, they were both

genuinely happy people because they did not let the tough times get to them. They kept a zen
 Istupe 6

attitude and had an appreciation of life which was more than enough for them to be happy. Not

everyone is genuinely happy but Elizabeth McKenna and Sidney Stark are just that, genuinely

happy.
 Istupe 7

Works Cited

Brooks, David. “What Suffering Does.” Pursuing Happiness, edited by Mathew Parfitt, Dawn

Skorczewski, Bedford/St. Martin's 2015, p287

Babauta, Leo. “How to Find Happiness Within” Zen Habits. January 20, 2018

Lyubomirsky, Sonja. “The How of Happiness.” Pursuing Happiness, edited by Mathew Parfitt,

Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford/St. Martin's 2015, p196

Shaffer, Marry Ann, Annie Borrows. “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society”. Dial

Press. July 29, 2008 p81-193

Suttie, Jull. “Why We Should Seek Happiness Even in Hard Times” Jack Kornfield, Greater

Good Magazine. January 4,2019