Definition Of Happiness In Literature

When considering the definition of happiness, the scientific definition is often ignored and we try and define it through our own personal and emotional experiences. Happiness, as a condition, is relative and we all experience it in our own way. Some people consider love to be the ultimate form of happiness while others believe success and wealth to be the key. There are a lot of people who disagree with both sentiments and believe that happiness comes from something else entirely, which we can observe in many forms of literature. One novel in particular, titled Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde, describes happiness in many definitions, all of which can be interpreted by the reader. Each character views and experiences happiness in a …show more content…
However, considering the author’s possible intentions, I think the logic involved was well thought out. I see Pay It Forward as Hyde’s own personal remedy to the problems we face in the world, however illogical and improbable the idea may seem. But, in her own way, I believe she is trying to change as many people as she can through her writing. Her idea could be to write something that changes people’s perspectives, that makes them think and makes them feel like they can change the world too. This can set off a chain reaction, causing multiple people in many different places to do some good for the world, even if it’s not on the scale that Trevor’s idea in Pay It Forward seemed to reach. Logically speaking, an idea like that could work, if that’s what Hyde really wanted to do. The only other reason I could see her writing this would be to deepen people’s thinking or to explain her ideal the unreachable ideal of world peace, not necessarily to reach out and change …show more content…
It’s hard to establish credibility in a story that is entirely made up and it’s all based on the reader whether or not they want to believe in the ideas presented or if they want to refute them entirely. Speaking for my group, we believe in the ideals presented in the book and wish to bring some of them about through the span of our lives, showing compassion and kindness when we can and trying to spread happiness to everyone around us. But some people may not believe in these ideals and may think that the world is just a cruel and ugly place and nothing is ever going to change that, so they decide not to step forward and resign to the idea that the world is stuck as it is. That’s their own doing. The credibility of the author is somewhat relative in this circumstance, much like happiness