Happiness Essay - 1474 Words

Happiness: a Human Disease -- An Examination of the Allegorical Theme of Existentialism in the Happy Man The short story, â€Å"The Happy Man† by Naguib Mahfouz, discusses the human condition, presenting existentialism as its central theme. Specifically, the story seeks to illustrate unhappiness of the common man and the effect it has on his life. It is an allegorical piece, in which the unnamed protagonist showcases the state of the human as unhappy; only scarcely finding joy. Indeed, the euphoric feeling the protagonist feels is contrary to what he usually feels and has adverse effects on his lifestyle. Mahfouz uses happiness to show that people are intrinsically unhappy as the protagonist ultimately seeks to remove his euphoria. He†¦show more content†¦Initially, Mahfouz presents the happiness as something positive; something that the protagonist actually wants. He explains that it is short and foreshadows its end: â€Å"Oh no, this must be just a fleeting mood which could never be permanent. For if it lasted forever, man would become an angel and reach the world bey ond.† This implies that human happiness is both rare and brief. If it were any other way, as it happens with the protagonist, people would not be people at all. This again demonstrates the scarcity of human happiness, as the implication is that no one is really happy. Even with successes and possessions, man is usually unhappy, much like the protagonist. In fact, the protagonists servant puts this into perspective. He explains happiness is imperfect and that this is the nature of life. Indeed, even when the novelty of happiness does occur, it is not perfect, and also not completely sought. This point is further emphasized when the protagonists euphoria begins to bother him. Indeed, it is initially seen in a good light: it makes him nice to his servant, causes him to stop fighting with his rival, and makes him stop worrying about his son. It even allows him to see the errors of his past. However, later on, it prevents him from feeling any other emotion; it prevents him from working and being with his friends. The overwhelming joyShow MoreRelatedHappiness And Happiness : Three Causes Of Happiness802 Words   |  4 PagesEvery Person has a different understanding of happiness. Happiness is defined as an emotion in which one experiences feelings ranging from contentment and satisfaction to bliss and intense joy. Happiness may be defined in such a way it can be interpreted in many different ways by different people. There are many happiness triggers in life, and each person has a set of triggers that make them feel happy. Based on the readings â€Å"The Sources of Happine ss† by The Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler, â€Å"If We areRead MoreHappiness Is A Concept Of Happiness1133 Words   |  5 Pagesdefines happiness as â€Å"feeling pleasure and enjoyment because of your life or situation† (â€Å"Happy†). Happiness is a generic term to describe a healthy wellbeing. The term is unique due to everyone receiving happiness in different ways. With copious ways of reaching a feeling of happiness, it is difficult to pinpoint a way to achieve this emotion. Many individuals obtain happiness by helping others while others gain happiness out of damaging others. With different methods of achieving happiness, one willRead MoreHappiness And Happiness Essay799 Words   |  4 Pages Happiness and Honesty, two words that have very different meanings and ways to interpret them depending on our perspectives and experiences in life. Through the people we meet, the lessons we learn, and the things we see. . The definition of these two words can vary d ifferently from person to person but when referring to the Oxford English Dictionary they both come with their own unique definitions. I chose to define these two words because even though they are some of the most misconceived wordsRead MoreHappiness1395 Words   |  6 PagesCan happiness be defined? When someone asks Google â€Å"how many people are there in the world?†a straight answer of 7.125 billion appears on the screen. However when asked â€Å"how many happy people in the world?† Google wasnt quiet sure of the answer. Is that because happiness as a human emotion cannot fully be defined? In Elizabeth Landau’s article states why happiness is so important in our daily life. Although we dont always have complete control over our emotions our surroundings, the environmentRead MoreHappiness974 Words   |  4 PagesHappiness Is Acceptance What is happiness? Oxford Dictionaries define it as â€Å"the state of being happy†, which also means the state in which someone shows pleasure or contentment (Happiness, n.d.). In actual fact, however, happiness means differently to everyone as we are all looking and yearning for different kinds of happiness in life. Does being rich and successful means that you are happy? Some say it is enjoying life while others say it is the appreciating the little things in life, such asRead MoreThe Role Of Happiness . â€Å"Happiness Is The Meaning And The1326 Words   |  6 PagesThe Role of Happiness â€Å"Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence† (Aristotle). In ethics, we study the place of morality in a social construct, where happiness is the core of ethical concern. Happiness for the individual, happiness for the majority, happiness for nature. What is the key to a happy life? Aristotle believes the key is eudaimonia, or a state of having a good soul or being in a contented state of being healthy, happy, and prosperousRead MoreDifference Between Happiness And Happiness942 Words   |  4 Pagesconfuses the two definitions of happiness and distractions. A claim can be made that distractions decrease happiness. For some, it has gotten to the point where they mix up this distraction, with actual happiness. Distractions can vary from technology, social media, television, and even people who are affectionate towards us. As a group, we chose to analyze the theme of distraction versus happiness because of how apparent it is everyone’s lives. The definition of happiness can relate to whatever it isRead MorePersonal Note On Happiness And Happiness968 Words   |  4 PagesHappiness When asking someone what makes them happy, you more than likely would receive a million different answers. The general definition of happiness or being happy is a state of well-being and contentment, or a pleasurable or satisfying experience. An individual’s definition of happiness more as excitement increase in the tendency to choose ab exciting option over a calming option; and defining happiness more as feeling calm increase the tendency to choose a calming option over exciting optionRead MoreHappiness Is The Most Common Misconception Of Happiness907 Words   |  4 PagesHappiness†¦ It could be said that there is no one in this whole wide world who does not want to be happy. We live every single day in hope to find happiness, which also known as pursuit of happiness. We strive to bring happiness in our life. Nonetheless, along the journey to find happiness, some people stumble and find themselves unhappy instead. One might question why, but actually we all have differ ent value and understanding to describe happiness. Therefore, we have our own unique approach to pursueRead MoreWhat is Happiness?: In the Movie A Pursuit of Happiness576 Words   |  2 PagesWhat is Happiness? In the movie The Pursuit of Happyness [sic], Will Smith talks about how Thomas Jefferson used the word pursuit in the Declaration of Independence. He goes on to explain â€Å"that it is there because a person can pursue happiness, but can never obtain it.† A level of happiness may be experienced as a result of hard work and dedication. Most people have problems and setbacks striving to reach happiness; even ideas of what constitutes happiness vary from person to person. People cope