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Joshua Catalan

Professor Ditch

English 115

23 October 2018

Happy During Dark Times

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie

Barrows is an epistolary novel that takes place during the German occupation of World War II.

The main character, Juliet, receives a letter from a man named Dawsey Adams who is an islander

from Guernsey. In the letter, Dawsey writes to Juliet because he wants more books and

knowledge about literature for the island’s book club, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie

Society, since books are so scarce on the island. Juliet eventually visits the island of Guernsey

and quickly forms strong relationships with the islanders. Happiness and unhappiness is a

recurring theme in the novel. I define Elizabeth Mckenna and Juliet Ashton as happy given their

current situation. Elizabeth Mckenna is happy because she tries to make the most out of her

situation by risking everything to help others, helping the other islanders cope with the war, and

doing favors for them. Juliet Ashton is also happy because she goes to Guernsey and forms many

strong relationships with the islanders of Guernsey and formed an unbreakable bond with

Elizabeth’s daughter, Kit Mckenna.

Furthermore, Elizabeth’s rash decision making lead to the creation of a haven of sorts

that contributed heavily to her happiness along with other people. According to “How to be

Happy” by Tara Parker-Pope, Elizabeth Mckenna is happy. Parker-Pope states, “Everyone has

the power to make small changes in our behavior, our surroundings and our relationships that can

help set us on course for a happier life (New York Times).” Parker-Pope is stating that people
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have the ability to make changes in their own lives that will set them on the right path towards

happiness. Elizabeth’s quick wit and rash decisions led to the creation of the Guernsey Literary

and Potato Peel Pie Society when a German soldier caught her and the other islanders after dark.

Elizabeth and the islanders hid a pig from the Germans and ate it later. When one of their pigs

would die, it was mandatory that they report the death of the pig. The islanders would often pass

around a dead carcass and report fake deaths. The islanders did this to help feed more people

since the Germans dictate what they do. When the German soldier approached them, Elizabeth

told them that they were discussing books and that they lost track of time. Luckily, the soldiers

believed her. Parker-Pope also states that your surroundings contribute to your happiness. In

Elizabeth’s case, she wasn’t in a good environment per say, but she had other people that acted

as a different environment. The people around her as well as Elizabeth’s own action helped form

a dynamic community that made the whole environment better. This shows that Elizabeth was

indeed happy because she made a change in people’s lives by accidently creating a literary

society that acts like a haven for the islanders and she was around individuals who she shared a

strong relationship with. Without any hesitation she turned a mistake into something greater that

has the power to bring people together as well as make them feel safe and at ease.

Elizabeth works to help others and make sure they are coping with the war. According to

“Living with Less. A Lot Less” by Graham Hill, Elizabeth Mckenna is happy. Hill states,

“Intuitively, we know that the best stuff in life isn’t stuff at all, and that relationships,

experiences and meaningful work are the staples of a happy life (311).” Hill is basically stating

that the key factors of a happy lifestyle rely on one’s own relationships, experiences, and

meaningful work. The islanders of Guernsey often describe their relationship with Elizabeth as

being close friends. They mention times where Elizabeth would do favors for them and even help
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them cope with the darkness of the war around them. She experienced love with a German

Soldier, Christian Hellman, and when she gave birth to her daughter Kit Mckenna. Elizabeth

even risked everything by helping a polish slave worker knowing the consequences that would

ensue. That was a testament to her character and personality. Consequently, she was sent to a

concentration camp when she was caught helping the polish slave worker and soon after she was

shot and killed. This shows that Elizabeth Mckenna is happy because she has what Hill describes

as the staples of a happy life which are relationships, experiences, and meaningful work.

One the other hand, some people may argue that Elizabeth Mckenna isn’t happy because

she was deported to a concentration camp and she was taken away from her daughter Kit

Mckenna. What this argument fails to consider is that Elizabeth always kept a positive attitude

and that she was always willing to help someone in need despite the consequences that will come

as a result. The good deeds that she has done during her life definitely has made her happy

because most people do good things to feel that they have done something meaningful. When she

helped the polish slave worker, she one hundred percent knew the consequences that would

occur if she were to get caught. That means that she was ok with any possibility of anything

happening to her as long as she was able to help someone in the process. This view also fails to

consider that Elizabeth was also very close with the islanders and would often do favors for

them, as well as help the islanders cope with the war. Elizabeth is happy because how is an

unhappy person going to help people others cope with something very dark and brutal like the

war that’s going on around them. She also offered to do favors for the islanders, so she had a lot

of good deeds on her conscience which boosted her happiness with a big way.

Likewise, Juliet becomes happy by placing herself in a better environment that suites her.

According to “The Sources of Happiness” by His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler,
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Juliet Ashton is happy because they state, “And other studies have demonstrated that even those

who are struck by catastrophic events such as cancer, blindness, or paralysis typically recover

their normal or near-normal level of day to day happiness after an appropriate adjustment period

(22).” This shows that Juliet Ashton is happy because after she left London to go to Guernsey,

she recovered her happiness. To Juliet London started to become a place where she didn’t feel a

part of anymore. She quickly formed strong relationships on the island and she eventually

realized that there isn’t anything left for her in London that she cares about. She was orphaned at

a very young age and she practically had no family. Juliet felt the love of family for the first time

with the islanders of Guernsey. The islander’s now have another person that cares for them and

possibly help them cope with the trauma of the war that faces all of the islanders. Juliet’s love for

literature lead her to the place where she found people that had a common interest. This is very

ideal for Juliet since she loves literature and the islanders just recently started to like novels due

to the literary society that they are a part of. They use the literary society as a haven of someone

sorts to help them forget about the war’s dark and gloomy feeling. She also experienced a

romantic love with Dawsey Adams when she proposed to him.

In addition, Juliet formed an unbreakable bond with Kit Mckenna. According to

“Happiness Is Other People” by Ruth Whippman, Juliet Ashton is happy. Whippman states, “But

if there is one point on which virtually every piece of research into the nature and cause of

human happiness agrees, it is this: our happiness depends on other people (New York Times).”

Whippman is stating that one’s happiness depends on the people close to us. Juliet wasn’t too

happy with her life in London, so when she arrived ton Guernsey she felt the happiness that

comes with forming bonds. Especially when she grew closer to Kit Mckenna. In the novel, Juliet

wrote to Sophie, “Finally, I mustered my courage and told Amelia that I wanted to adopt Kit
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(258).” Juliet applied for the adoption of Kit Mckenna after their relationship grew closer when

Kit decided to show Juliet her box of items that she holds dear and doesn’t show anyone. This

made Juliet happy because she played the motherly role for Kit and they cared for each other

mutually.

Some people may argue that Juliet Ashton isn’t happy because she was having a difficult

time with Mark Reynolds since she turned down his proposal. Juliet thought she wanted the

lifestyle that comes with Mark Reynolds which is high class. She also finds out that their

personalities are not compatible. What this argument fails to consider is that Juliet dodged a

bullet with Mark Reynolds because she realized late that they aren’t a good fit for each other.

Another reason why she’s happy instead of unhappy is because she visited Guernsey and formed

many strong relationships with the islanders and she found love with Dawsey Adams. She even

proposed to him instead of the opposite way around which is out of the ordinary because men are

usually the ones who usually propose. Juliet even formed an unbreakable bond with Elizabeth

McKenna’s daughter, Kit Mckenna. Since their relationship grew fast, Juliet wanted to adopt Kit

as her own, so she could have someone to care for and play the motherly role.

In conclusion Juliet Ashton and Elizabeth Mckenna are happy given their current

situation. Elizabeth Mckenna is happy because she makes others feel at ease and she is willing to

risk everything to help others despite the fact the she was killed at a concentration camp and that

she was separated from her daughter. The staples for a happy life according to Graham Hill

include, relationships, experiences, and meaningful work. Elizabeth had all of the staples of life

according to Hill. She had a very strong relationship with the islanders of Guernsey, she

experienced love with a German soldier and when she gave birth to kit, and her selfless acts are

her meaningful work. Elizabeth’s happiness was heavily influenced by accidently creating a
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literary society that acts like a haven because Parker-Pope states that small changes can set you

on course to happiness. Juliet Ashton is happy because she ends up proposing to Dawsey Adams

and forming a strong bond with Kit Mckenna. Recovering happiness happens after an adjustment

period according to the Dalai Lama and Cutler. Juliet found happiness once she left London and

arrived at Guernsey because she found people that she shared a connection with, whether it be by

mutual interest or good vibes in general. Juliet’s happiness heavily relied on Kit Mckenna

because Ruth Whippman states that happiness depends on other people.

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Works Cited

Barrows, Annie and Mary Ann Shaffer. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

New York, N.Y, Dial Press Trade Paperbacks, 2008

Cutler, Howard and His Holiness the Dalai Lama. “The Sources of Happiness.” Pursuing

Happiness, edited by Matthew Parfitt and Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford/St. Martin’s,

2016, pp. 21-32.

Hill, Graham. “Living with Less. A Lot Less.” Pursuing Happiness, edited by

Matthew Parfitt and Dawn Skorczewski, Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2016, pp. 308-312.

Parker-Pope, Tara. “How to Be Happy.” The New York Times, The New York Times,

www.nytimes.com/guides/well/how-to-be-happy.

Whippman, Ruth. “Happiness Is Other People.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 27

Oct. 2017, www.nytimes.com/2017/10/27/opinion/sunday/happiness-is-other-people.html.