Dr. Heidegger's Experiment Analysis

Douglas Adams once stated, “you create a universe by perceiving it, so everything in the universe you perceive is specific to you.” Your perception of life is your reality. Whether someone has an enjoyable, memorable life or a dull one filled with burdens, is solely up to their views. A pessimist believes the hardships in life outweigh all the luxuries. On the other hand, an optimist views life as a gift and has a positive outlook on every situation. Optimism is not about neglecting the problems in life and running from reality; it's about knowing there will always be a rainbow after the storm. Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment, by Nathaniel Hawthorne, depicts the idea that the quality of life is determined by one’s perspective. The characters have had rough, complicated lives, but for a short time their views changed. They felt young, lively, and happy even though their circumstances or age did not change. People see things the way they want to see them. The world we see is a mirror image of who we are and what we believe. Life is what we make it. We have the choice to live a beautiful, happy life or live in sorrow and suffering. …show more content…
Those “who [have] been unfortunate in life” have two choices. They can either waste away their life in misery or search for something positive in every circumstance. It is in our nature to pick out every negative detail we come across. If we continue this habit, we will not allow ourselves to be happy. Happiness is a choice, not a result. Joy does not come to us, it comes from within us. We can decide to either let “the sunshine [come] through the window,” or close the curtains on potential happiness. Life will become fulfilling if we choose happiness, and we will gain a “sudden glow of cheerful sunshine brightening over all [our]