Happy Place

The theme of putting others’ happiness above one’s own is central to the novel; it creates the main conflict for Harriet, is a character flaw for both Harriet and Wyn (especially since he thinks Harriet would be happier without him), and allows the characters to make positive changes by learning to value their own joy. With a firm belief that making others happy is an admirable and fulfilling goal, Harriet follows a career path into medicine. She never considers other options, as her parents praise Harriet for her intelligence and strong grades, pour their energy into providing tutors, taking her to extracurriculars, and giving her financial assistance for med school loans. As a goal-oriented person who never wants to cause conflict or let others down, Harriet puts aside her own happiness to chase their dream. However, during residency, Harriet feels only stressed, exhausted, and terrified. She can’t devote time to Wyn when his father dies. Because Harriet and Wyn both share the flaw of extreme self-effacement, their relationship suffers—they are not honest with one another about their needs. Harriet doesn’t want to admit medical school is wrong for her, and Wyn refuses to ask for her to take care of him during his depression.