Essay About Happiness in The Hate U Give and Into the Wild

Being happy can be a big part of people's lives. Everyone has a different definition of happiness making it hard to find one set definition. Things that make a person happy could be something so big or even the littlest things. Doing what you believe in and surrounding yourself with things you love is a big part of someone's happiness, and this is shown in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, “Scientists Reveal Three Keys to Happiness” ABC News, and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.

To start off, in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, Chris McCandless plays a big role in doing what you believe in to be happy in many ways. First, he leaves his home and family to take on a huge adventure. He does this because he wants to explore the wild and be free without the weight of his family or anything else. Throughout McCandless' journey to Alaska he meets many new people and goes to many different places which make him live a happier life than before. The text states, “One of his last acts was to take a picture of himself, standing near the bus under the high Alaska sky, one hand holding his final note toward the camera lens, the other raised in a brave, beatific farewell. His face is horribly emaciated, almost skeletal. But if he pitied himself in those last difficult hours—because he was so young, because he was alone, because his body had betrayed him and his will had let him down—it’s not apparent from the photograph. He is smiling in the picture, and there is no mistaking the look in his eyes: Chris McCandless was at peace, serene as a monk gone to God.” This shows that throughout McCandless’s journey he went through many hardships but in the end it contributed greatly to his happiness.

In comparison, happiness is also something that can be studied in a multitude of ways. In the article, “Scientists Reveal Three Keys to Happiness” ABC News, they give many examples of how happiness can be found in a person's life. For example, people who are struggling with things like disease, cancer, mental illness etc. can use nature to help them cope with their problems. They can use this because nature is a very likable and calming thing. In the article  “Scientists Reveal Three Keys to Happiness” ABC News, they state, “The study found that spending 20 minutes outdoors each day helped the patients cope with the "mental fatigue" of dealing with all the issues that come along with the cancer.” This shows that people who have cancer enjoy the sights, smells, and calmness of nature which in turn helps them cope.

Likewise, in the book The Hate U Give  by Angie Thomas the main character Starr is a really good example of how surrounding yourself with things or people you love can contribute greatly to your happiness. Throughout the book Starr, an african american woman, faces many challenges like racism, discrimination, and prejudice. Starr surrounds herself with family because they do what they can to protect her. This contributes to her happiness because she knows that her family will be by her side always. In the book the author says, “Daddy glares at her. ‘But I realize being real ain’t got anything to do with where you live. The realest thing I can do is protect my family, and that means leaving Garden Heights.’” This further shows that her family contributes to her happiness because Starr’s dad set aside his wants to protect his family at all costs.

Evidently, happiness is found in my life because of my family, friends, and sports. My family is one of the biggest parts of my life because of the way they make me happy. My family is very loving, caring and supportive of not only me but the rest of my family. For example, my parents are my number one supporters in things like school and sports. My parents are always there cheering me on at all of my games and school events. Another key component in my life that makes me happy is my friends. My friends are always there for me and are always willing to listen. They make me happy because they will listen to all of my problems even when they are so little. They also encourage me to be my best self when I am not in the happiest of moods. The last thing that is a big contributor to my happiness is sports. As a teenager being active is very important so I chose to play Ice Hockey. Having a sport to play is a way to escape the stress of school and just life itself. I use hockey as a way to stay in shape and also to meet new people. Through hockey I have met so many new people who now are a big part of my life. Through family, friends, and sports I have found things that make me happy and these things make me overall a better person.

To conclude, happiness cannot only be described in words but in someone's actions too, so being with who you love and doing the things you love have a great impact on how happy you are throughout life. Finding what makes you happy can be hard but once you find that thing, it can change your life. Finding happiness is demonstrated in all different forms, this is represented in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer, “Scientists Reveal Three Keys to Happiness” ABC News, and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.