Are You Happy?

Carl Sandburg’s “Happiness,” addresses the question that many people ask about like: what is happiness? Through the poem the narrator asks a philosopher, a famous executive and the question of “what is happiness” is not answered. Until he is floating down the Desplaines River and comes across a group of Hungarians and their women enjoying themselves, then he realizes that the true meaning of happiness is not education or money, but the little things in life that get you through. Sandburg uses happiness as an open interpretation to anyone, and a theme through out his poem.

While trying to discover what is happiness, Sandburg takes education and money as the two obvious happiness’s in the world. He asks “professors who teach the meaning of life to tell [him] what is happiness;” the professor does not know. He asks the “famous executives who boss the work of thousands of men,” and he does not know. “They all shook their heads and gave [him] a smile as though [he] was trying to fool with them;” both the professor and the famous executive have no idea what Sandburg is asking of them. They have never thought of the meaning of happiness. Sandburg is trying to discover: is education and money the only happiness in the world? Or is there something more to life than those things people strive for everyday? Then while he “wandered out along the Desplaines River/ [he] saw a crowd of Hungarians under the trees with their women and their children and a keg of beer and an accordion;” Sandburg sees these people hanging out having a good time with their families, and he finally discovers the true meaning of happiness. It doesn’t take education or wealth to bring happiness to peoples lives, all it takes is family and friends and the little things in life.

Another theme seen through out the poem is open interpretation to what people think happiness is. The “professors who teach the meaning of life” may think that knowledge is the key to happiness. Being informed in everything is what some like to do. It brings them happiness because they know no one is getting anything passed them in a conversation or a business transaction; they hold the power of knowledge. Others feel that money is the key to happiness. If they have all the money in the world they will be the happiest people because after all that is what many dream of. But when Sandburg asks “[the] famous executive who boss the work of thousands of men” he does not know “what happiness is.” The “famous executives” who takes care of thousands of people a day doesn’t have a clue. They think they have life under control, they think they are happy, maybe they are. To some money is the key to happiness. Then as the narrator “wandered out along the Desplaines River/[seeing] a crowd of Hungarians/a keg of beer and an accordion;” he realizes that other people enjoy the little things in life such as family, friends, drinking, and music. To some it takes education and knowledge, to others it is money, and others it is the little things in life that helps people make it through.

Carl Sandburg’s “Happiness,” explores the meaning of happiness by talking to three different kinds of people. Professors, famous executives, and Hungarians with their families; all of these people have different ways of living life and different meanings to them of what happiness truly is. The themes in the poem being open to interpretation of the meaning of happiness and how the little things in life is what brings many the happiness they seek in life.