Medina 1

Alejandra Medina
Professor Ditch
English 133B
8 May 2015
Friendship Provides Strength to Act Courageous When Situations Seem Unbearable
Courage is a difficult to accomplish. Not many can describe themselves as courageous
because stepping outside ones comfort zone is a complicated task. In the novel The Guernsey
literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, the book club members understood that being courageous
was difficult, but within the circumstances they faced of low resources , made them realize that
they had to be a lot stronger. Some peoples first instincts make one act upon certain situations
with courage. When the members knew that being stronger would influence their actions into
becoming courageous was when their mind fill there mind was ease in ease because they knew
they would survive. Theses individual strived for the their objective despite how complicated
there obstacle could may be. However the book club members were not able to act courageous
on their own, the sense of unity they formed from friendship helped them provide support to help
each other move forward. In the novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society,
Marry Ann Shaffer and Annie Borrows demonstrate how the power of friendship provides the
book club members strength to perform courageous acts that helps them overcome the hardships
of the war.
ThefriendshipbetweenthemembersofthePotatoPeelPieSocietywasmadebecauseof
abookclub.Therewereconversationsofbooksinvolvedandsomemayarguethatitisthebooks
thathelpthemescapetherealityofthewarandnotthemembersfriendshipthatgivethem
courage.Thebookswereveryinfluentialinsidetrackingideasbutjustparticularlyinthecurrent

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momentthebooksarebeingread.Althoughtheyneededadistractiontoalwaysimpactthemin
ordertoovercomethehardshipsofthewar.ShafferandBorrowsstatetherewasntanyofthem
thattrulylovedliteraturetheyonlywantedanexcusetogetoutofanevening,andreadingis
whattheychose(104).Readingwasthebookclubmembersexcusefromthestartofthenovel.
Howevertheyneededanexcusebecausecloserelationshipswithfriendshavemadefoundto
stimulatepeopletofightdevastatingsituations.(DerHorst,Coffe4).Thebookclubmembers
knowtheycancountontheirfriendshipatanytimeofday,andtheresupportiswhathelped
themperformcourageousacts.Ifthebookswerereallythemaindistractioninhelpingthem
escapereality,therewouldbeapurposeinattendingmeetings.Onecouldhavejuststayedhome
andreadthebookthereinsteadoftakingthetimetomeetupwiththemembers.Thebookswere
nothesolutiontotheirproblems,itwasthefriendshiptheyhavecreated.DerHorstandCoffe
statebesidesthepresenceoffriendsthemselvesthefrequencycontactwiththemhasalsobeen
showntoimpactforoneshealth(5).DerHorstandCoffearguethatthecontactwiththe
individualsfriendsistheactualpurposeofhavingfriends.Onecannottitleapersonafriendif
theydonotsupportnorhelpeachotheroutwhenneeded.Themembersofthebookclubstay
alwaysalive.Despitethelackoffoodandsanitaryproblems,becausetheyhadeachother,the
bookclubmembersbecamebraveandreceivedthecouragetofightillnessesphysicallyand
mentally.

Friendship can cause one to perform courageous acts to benefit their friends even if the
act is in great risk. Mrs. Maugery is the foundation of the book club society. Mrs. Maugery, stole
a pig, raised it, and then roasted it for her friends. She did not need to hide the pig to join in the

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feast withher friends however Mrs. Maugery knew sharing a pig would be beneficial for all in
having a delicious meal and enjoying a good time. (Borrows and Shaffer 28) She stole the pig
because she wanted to share an actual meal with all her friends because the officers permitted the
amount of food they consumed everyday. It is easier to live by the rules and deal with the limited
supplies the member of the society had instead of going against the law and trying to obtain more
for bliss. Usually committing a crime involved being sent to a prison campand keeping a pig
was a worse one. (29). Despite the harsh consequences, Mrs. Maugery knew that giving the pig
to her friends made a greater impact than keeping it to her self. Similar to a man named Matosh
in the documentary Happy, Matash states I feel that I am not poor but I am the richest
person. Matosh lives in a very unfortunate community similar to Guernsey were they do not
have sufficient food our stable homes, but then states we stay together and it makes us happy.
Matosh feels like the richest man because the bond he has with his neighbors, just like the
bond the book club members in Guernsey formed when they came together and an actual meal.
The book club members have very limited supplies and really never have a full meal, just as
Matosh and his neighbors also lack resources. This event was the start of a new chapter. It is the
friendship Mrs. Maugery has with the book club members that gives her joy and gives the
strength and courage to hide the pig for so long and share with her friends. This event was the
start of a new chapter. The book club members just like Matosh noticed that the unity with in
each other helps them overcome the harsh lifestyle they are facing. Mrs. Maugery performed an
illegal deed but it was worth every risk. Mrs. Maugery assured the book club members that there
will be better moment if the members stick together because the bond they created is great
enough to
other.

over come the hardships of the war because of the courage they grow within each

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Another book club member that performed courageous acts is Elizabeth. After the Book
Club was created, Elizabeth makes sure they stay as a whole. Barrows and Shaffer state, the
dinner was a rare treat, but the company was better, This is comes to show that not only did
they enjoy the dinner but the time they spend together was a lot more valuable and Elizabeth
makes sure they spend more moment like these. (29). Surely the members missed curfew with
the talking and eating because they were having such a great time and as a consequence were
questioned by the germen patrols. In the article How Friendship Networks Characteristics
Influence Subject Well-being, Van der Host and Hilde Coffe state, Compared to acquaintances,
close friends are more likely to be responsive to ones troubles, to sense the nature, degree, and
source of ones distress, and to engage in supportive behavior that is appropriate to ones needs,
even if costly in time or effort (5). Just as Coffe and Host state, Elizabeth felt the need to
respond in defense of her close friends because they were all in trouble. When the German
patrols confronted the members, Elizabeth drew in her breath and stepped forward, she
automatically took charge even if the pistols were lined up at her eyes gaining the courage to
step up even if she was not sure the lie she was going to tell was going to be believed. Elizabeth
did so because she realized that Mrs. Maugery performs a risky deed of feeding them the big that
Elizabeth new this bond was worth keeping. The time spent was so great that they lost track of
time because the presence of them all helped them escape the harsh reality and distracted them
from their worries. This encounter helped Elizabeth invent such a creative lie of the members
meeting up for a book club meeting. The officers believed the lie was sincere and the members
of the book club did not face the consequence of being transported to a prison camp. Elizabeth
felt with such peace with the book club members when they shared the meal that she new she did
not want this occasion to be their last meeting.

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It is surprising to know that Elizabeths body image was the must petite from the book
club members yet she was the first one to take action because of the courage her friends provided
her with. Elizabeth proves that anybody could stand up for what they believe in. In the short film,
Caines Arcade, Nirran Mullick shows how people who work together can accomplish a certain
task even if it seems impossible. When great people come together, dreams can be accomplished.
Elizabeths courageous act is an example that shows that even if the situation seems deadly,
when the book club members support each other anything can be done. The book club members
dreamed of happiness. Slowly their dreams are accomplished. Even if it means standing up to
authority figures, the courage provided by their friends lead them to happier days because the
book club members have each other to remind themselves that everything is okay in stead of
focusing on the hardships of the war.
Elizabeth is a very strong character, and continues to perform courageous acts through
out the novel because of the friendship she has with the book club members. Elizabeth was sent
to a prison camp forcing her to leave her daughter Kit. People that share similarity with respect
to attitudes, values, and interests will interact a lot better with each other because they hold the
same believes and goals (Sias, Drzewiecka 2). Elizabeth knewthatherdaughterwasingood
handsbecauseofthetrustshehadwithinthebookclubmemberssincetheylivedinthesame
community,valuedthesameideasandactedmorallyequalthatsheknewnoneofthebookclub
membersharmherdaughter.BorrowsandShafferstateIalsoknowthatshecherishedyouas
herfamily,andshefeltgratitudeandpeacethatherdaughter,Kit,wasinyourcaretoillustrate
howcertainElizabethwasthatherdaughterwouldbewelltakencareof.(178).When Elizabeth
was at the camp she clearly understood that any little action that may upset an officer and could
result in her death. BecauseElizabethknewthatherdaughterwassafebecauseofherfriendsthat

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theygaveherthepowertoactcourageouslytohelpherfightagainsttheinhumanityinthe
camp.ThefriendshipElizabethhadwiththeLiterarySocietyreliedontrustandgavecourageto
Elizabethtostanduptheofficersattheconcentrationcampwhichlaterresultedinherdeath.
Elizabethcouldhavebeenweak,sinceherlifewasalivinghellbutherfriendsprovidedthat
foundationandgaveherstrengthtokeephermovingforwarddespitethecircumstances.The
bookclubmembersgoalwastotakecareofoneanotherandgiveeachotheranyhelpthey
possiblycould.Thefriendshipbetweentheclubmembersinfluencedoneanothertoperform
courageously.
Juliet is a writer and is very interested in writing about The Guernsey Literary and
Potatoes Peel pie society, and just as interested as she is in writing good books, she is also
interested in created a bond with the members because of all the great things the members have
done to help each other. Although Juliet was not originally part of the book club society, all the
members viewed Juliet and treated her as one. In the article Intercultural Friendship
Development, Communication Reports Sias and Drzewiecka state the construction of a
mutually beneficial interactive environment in which individuals from two different cultures can
function in a way beneficial to all involved(4). Juliets culture in reference to her life style was
different than the book club members because her life was not such a struggle, Juliet worried
about writing god books while the members worried about having enough food to eat. Despite
their different struggles once they met each other, they shared traits that were beneficial to one
another. Juliets partner Mark was very wealthy and could assure Juliet that he could provide her
with any resource she would ever need. However it was not materialistic things Juliet needed. All
Juliet wants is to be happy and she is very happy along the side of the book club members
despite the lack of supplies. . Happiness is not weighted by the value of material thingsonehas

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butintheideasthatgivesyouhopetokeepmovingforward.Julietrejected(Mark)mulishlyto
thebitterend.Julietnoticedthatwhenshewaswiththebookclubmember,itwasnolonger
interactionswithstrangersthebookclubmembersareherfamilyandslowlyMarkbecomesa
strangerinstead(Karol5).Julietrealizesshefeltalivelisteningtotheexperiencesthebookclub
membersencounteredandwantedtowriteabouttheirexperiences.Thebookclubmembers
warmingpersonalitiesgiveJulietthecouragetosupporthergoingagainsttraditionalnormsinto
refusingmarriage.Thebookclubmembershelpedherperformacourageousactinrejecting
proposaltoherhusbandbecausesheknewshewouldfeelmorealiveinthecompanyofher
friendsratherthanhavingamaleutilizeherlikeanobject.Onceshegainedthatcouragetodoas
shepleases,shefallsinlovewithDawsey,evenifheisnotaswealthyasMark,Julietisnot
afraidtotakeonthatchallengebecausesheknowsthatwithfriendshipofhernewmate,andthe
bookclubmemberssheisguidedwithpowerandwillovercomeanything.
Somepeoplefacedifficultsituationsthroughouttheirlivesthataffectthemphysically
andmentally.Whetherthesituationisasdrasticasawarintheircountryoraslittleasabadday
makesindividualvenerableandcanintimidatethepersonintheirfutureperformance.Thebook
clubmembersencounteredsituationsthataffectedthemphysically,suchasthedeathoftheir
friendElizabeth,andthelackoffood,howeverthemembersdidnotletthesecircumstances
affectthemmentally.Havingafriendshipwithapersonthatencountersasimilarsituationor
comprehendsthesituationoneisgoingthroughgiveseachotherthecouragetostriveforabetter
tomorrowjustasthebookclubmembersdid.MarryAnnShafferandAnnieBarrowsstatehow
importantthepoweroffriendshipistoanindividualinhelpingperformcourageousactsto
overcomethewar.Lifeisajourneyanditisimportantforonetosurroundthemselveswithgood

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peoplethatwillgiveonecouragetostriveforsuccessandovercomethehardshipstomakeones
journeyeasier.

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Works Cited
Caines Arcade. Dir. Nirran Mullic. Perf. Caine Monroy, George Monroy, 2012. Film
Happy. Dir. Roko Belic. Perf. Marci Shimoff, Gregory Berns, 2011. Film
Kurylo, Anastacia. Culture and Communication. Reference & Research Book News: In
Oct. 2012. General OneFile. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.
Patricia M. Sias , Jolanta A. Drzewiecka , Mary Meares , Rhiannon Bent , Yoko Konomi, Maria
Ortega & Colene White. Intercultural Friendship Development, Communication
Reports. ed. 21:1 Routledge, 30 Apr. 2008. 1-13. Web. 28 March 2015.
Shaffer, Mary Ann, and Annie Barrows. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.
New York: Dial Press Trade Paperbacks, 2008. Print
Van, der Horst, and Hilde Coff. "How Friendship Network Characteristics Influence Subjective
Well-being." Social Indicators Research 107.3 (2012): 509-29. ProQuest. Web. 2
April 2015.