Cooper 1

Kenneth Cooper
Professor Corri Ditch
English 113B
2 April 2015
The Power of Books
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society novel is about the lives of a literary
society during World War II. During the Channel Island occupation of World War II the Germans
invaded Channel Island which includes Guernsey. Once the Germans fortified the land the lives
of the Islanders changed drastically. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC),
Newspapers were not allowed without careful censoring, radios were prohibited, farmers were to
grow what the Germans commanded, food was scarce, and there were curfews from being
outside their home. In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, reading books help the
literary society cope with the struggles from the war.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was created as an excuse to why three
of its members were out pass curfew. That night neighbors had joined together to eat a pig;
during this time they were not allowed to eat pigs, in fact the Germans kept a record of all
livestock on the Island. While three of the members were walking back home, a German soldier
stopped them. Member Elizabeth McKenna told the German soldier that they were meeting for a
literary group called the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Amelia, the neighbor
whose house they were walking from that night says Elizabeth McKenna, who manufactured
the story on the spot, bless her quick wits and silver tongue (Shaffer and Barrows 49). During
this day is the first time books and reading had saved the literary society from their struggles.
Simply putting the blame on books saved them from the rules they broke which were eating a pig

Cooper 2
and staying out past curfew. The excuse Elizabeth gave was the first time reading saved them.
After that guards allowed the literary society to meet on a regular schedule. Although the war
brought hard times they were saved by reading from the start when it saved them from facing
serious trouble the night of the pig dinner.
Reading in a way found them after Elizabeths excuse was used. The society began to
form, they were searching for books. It was as if the lie Elizabeth told was the answer to helping
their lives. This coincides with what Juliet, a writer and main character of the story says Perhaps
there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that bring them to their perfect readers.
(Shaffer and Barrows 10). This suggests that books found themselves in the lives of the society
because books have a way of finding readers, the excuse was just a step to help bring books in
their life. Many of the members of the society werent active book readers. John Booker only
read one book while being part of the society and still found it to be effective to helping his war
depression. He states there was only one. Senecamaybe that sounds dull, but the letters
arent- theyre witty. I think you learn more if youre having fun at the same time. (Shaffer and
Barrows 89). This proves the result of one book is a huge impact, during the time of the war
simple liberties that everyone should have were taken away and Booker is explaining that during
this same time he was able to have a moment of laughter because of a book he was reading.
Books can also remind someone of the positive things in their life. Eben explains how
food was scarce then takes a moment to think in a positive light and says We clung to books and
to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part of us (Shaffer and Barrows 64). There
was still another part of these people besides the unfortunate outcome from the war. Books
allowed them to be free of the invisible chains that were restricting them from living a normal

Cooper 3
lifestyle. When the literary society read books it was as if they were in another world where
everything was back to as it was before the war.
During the horrors as those who were in Guernsey faced, it is often helpful to have
something to look forward to or a reason to live. The book society clearly had this through
literature, and our evenings together became bright, lively times- we could almost forget,
now and then, the darkness outside (Shaffer and Barrows 51). This quote by Amelia explains
the feelings of the book club. They looked forward to going to meetings and engaging in
conversation and debates. They enjoyed meetings and reading so much that sometimes they
forgot the terror that lurks just outside their comfy meeting house. In order to forget about what
is happening was a hard thing to accomplish, that alone shows the strong effect books have. To
just not think about that for just a small portion of the day was a great relief to the stressed
Islanders.
Reading is an activity for some while others may not have the patience required for it. In
a place where anything fun is prohibited there werent many activities to take part in besides
reading. Thats what I love about reading, one tiny thing will interest you in a bookIts
geometrically progressive- all with no end insight, and for no other reason than sheer
enjoyment. (Shaffer and Barrows, 11-12). Juliet writes this quote in a letter to Dawsey, the first
member she became in contact with. Reading is the perfect thing to do for Guernsey people who
have been restricted from doing so many other things.
Research proves the wonders reading can do for a person Reading is a really good
stress-buster. It can help you escape to another world and get out of your everyday life
(Harding). This is similar to the experiences of many of the literary society members who
explained the influence of reading. Reading is also seen as the next best thing to do besides

Cooper 4
prescription medicine and reading doesnt have any side effects. Research by Mindlab
International recently revealed that out of a range of activities, reading reduced stress for most by
67 percent.
The love for books can also be developed at a young age. The Secondhand Bookseller by
Marina Nemot is about when she is younger and already had so much joy in books that she was
willing to do anything she can to get a book to read. She finds a secondhand book store and buys
a book using money she earned from selling candy. After the first book she sells one of her
school supplies to a friend to get money for another book. At purchase the worker recognizes her
love for books and allows her to borrow the book instead of paying. I thought of my angel,
Nemot loves reading books so much that she thinks of someone who can provide her with books
like an angel. In the Guernsey literary society they also find joy in reading and seek more books
to read and converse over.
Books could be seen as the author communicating with the reader. Kurylo, author of
Culture and Communication explains At its most basic, communication can be defined as the
use of symbolic code to send messages and create meaning. The system of reading and
understand is the sense of meaning. The literary society uses reading and communication to
enjoy the books they read. There is also culture in their society. Kurylo expresses every culture
having its norms. The norms of the Guernsey literary society was literature. Every member had
an interest of reading books and it made their cultural ties closer.
A story about 1930s farm woman in South Dakota by Lisa Lindell explains the influence
of books well when she stats For the depression-era farm woman, reading books and other
materials provided recreation, instruction, and inspiration in a discouraging time. Lindell
explains that the life of a farmer woman was very busy and didnt allow much time for reading

Cooper 5
and also that in rural areas it would sometimes be difficult to get books to read. These issues
share similarities with the Guernsey literature society. The literary society were always dedicated
to taking the time to meet together for a literature discussion. They also didnt have every book
available at their fingertips. Both the Guernsey literary society and a farm woman in Lindells
piece of writing, have the same belief that reading helps people cope during difficult times.
Bibliotherapy is the use of books as treatment for depression and other mental illnesses.
Jamie Pardini, author of "Efficacy And Process Of Cognitive Bibliotherapy For The Treatment
Of Depression In Jail And Prison Inmates", explains the influence of books for people in jail.
Pardini records a study made in jail where 30 percent of its inmates suffer from major
depression. Pardini found that using the treatment bibliotherapy made a substantial difference in
their quality of life. In this case they were reading books about helping their depression but I
believe this same principle can be used in reading books in general. Cognitive bibliotherapy has
shown promise in the treatment of depression in a variety of populations, says Pardini. This
treatment can be used in many different situations, including the possibility of depression from
the Channel Island occupation.
Some may argue that reading will not produce great results in curing stress. Although this
argument may be right for certain individuals, most people will only benefit from readings.
Reading shouldnt be seen as a cure for stress but as something to help a stressful situation. It
gets the mind focused on something besides being depressed. It is also known for broadening an
individuals horizons because learning is involved while reading. Ultimately the effects of
reading are controlled by the reader and how they chose to react to their readings.
The influence of books is major in the novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie
Society. The Channel Islands occupation brought a toll on the lives of the Guernsey survivors. In

Cooper 6
order to cope with their surrounding many formed a group called The Guernsey Literary and
Potato Peel Pie Society. This society worked together to bring the influence of reading books in
their lives, making it easier to escape the suffering war had brought. Their success as a literature
group proves reading is a valuable tool to ease depression.

Cooper 7

Works Cited
German Occupation of the Channel Islands." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Harding, Eleanor. "Can a Good Book Help Beat Depression? GPs Draw up List of 27
'mood-boosting' Reads to Help Those with Mental Illness."Daily Mail Online. Associated
Newspapers, 01 Feb. 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Kurylo, Anastacia. Inter/cultural Communication: Representation and Construction of
Culture. n.p. Print.
Lindell, Lisa R. ""So Long as I Can Read": Farm Women's Reading Experiences in
Depression-Era South Dakota." JSTOR. Agriculture History Society, 2009. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Nemat, Marina. "The Secondhand Bookseller." N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Pardini, Jamie, et al. "Efficacy And Process Of Cognitive Bibliotherapy For The Treatment
Of Depression In Jail And Prison Inmates." Psychological Services 11.2 (2014): 141152. PsycINFO. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.

Cooper 8

Kenneth Cooper
Professor Corri Ditch
English 113B
8 May 2015
The Power of Books
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society novel is about the lives of a literary
society during World War II. During the Channel Island occupation of World War II the Germans
invaded Channel Island which includes Guernsey. Once the Germans fortified the land the lives
of the Islanders changed drastically. According to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC),
Newspapers were not allowed without careful censoring, radios were prohibited, farmers were to
grow what the Germans commanded, food was scarce, and there were curfews from being
outside their home. In The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, reading books help the
literary society cope with the struggles from the war.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society was created as an excuse as to why
three of its members were out pass curfew. That night neighbors had joined together to eat a pig;
during this time they were not allowed to eat pigs, in fact the Germans kept a record of all
livestock on the Island. While three of the members were walking back home, a German soldier
stopped them. Member Elizabeth McKenna told the German soldier that they were meeting for a
literary group called the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Amelia, the neighbor
whose house they were walking from that night says Elizabeth McKenna, who manufactured
the story on the spot, bless her quick wits and silver tongue (Shaffer and Barrows 49). During
this day is the first time books and reading had saved the literary society from their struggles.

Cooper 9
Simply putting the blame on books saved them from the rules they broke which were eating a pig
and staying out past curfew. After that the guards allowed the literary society to meet on a regular
schedule. Although the war brought hard times they were saved by reading from the start when it
saved them from facing serious trouble the night of the pig dinner.
After Elizabeth misguided the guards the literary society, initially used as an excuse, was
becoming an actual group. The society began to form and they were searching for books to read.
It was as if the lie Elizabeth told was the answer to helping their lives. This coincides with what
Juliet, a writer and main character of the story says Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing
instinct in books that bring them to their perfect readers. (Shaffer and Barrows 10). This
suggests that books found themselves in the lives of the society because books have a way of
finding readers, the excuse was just a step to help bring books in their life. Many of the members
of the society werent active book readers. John Booker only read one book while being part of
the society and still found it to be effective to helping his war depression. He states there was
only one. Senecamaybe that sounds dull, but the letters arent- theyre witty. I think you learn
more if youre having fun at the same time. (Shaffer and Barrows 89). This proves the result of
one book is a huge impact, during the time of the war simple liberties that everyone should have
were taken away and Booker is explaining that during this same time he was able to have a
moment of laughter because of a book he was reading.
Books can also remind someone of the positive things in their life. Eben explains how
food was scarce then takes a moment to think in a positive light and says We clung to books and
to our friends; they reminded us that we had another part of us (Shaffer and Barrows 64). There
was still another part of these people besides the unfortunate outcome from the war. Books
allowed them to be free of the invisible chains that were restricting them from living a normal

Cooper 10
lifestyle. When the literary society read books it was as if they were in another world where
everything was back to as it was before the war.
During the horrors as those who were in Guernsey faced, it is often helpful to have
something to look forward to or a reason to live. The book society clearly had this through
literature, and our evenings together became bright, lively times- we could almost forget,
now and then, the darkness outside (Shaffer and Barrows 51). This quote by Amelia explains
the feelings of the book club. They looked forward to going to meetings and engaging in
conversation and debates. They enjoyed meetings and reading so much that sometimes they
forgot the terror that lurks just outside their comfy meeting house. In order to forget about what
is happening was a hard thing to accomplish, that alone shows the strong effect books have. To
just not think about that for just a small portion of the day was a great relief to the stressed
Islanders.
Reading is an activity for some while others may not have the patience required for it. In
a place where anything fun is prohibited there werent many activities to take part in besides
reading. Thats what I love about reading, one tiny thing will interest you in a bookIts
geometrically progressive- all with no end insight, and for no other reason than sheer
enjoyment. (Shaffer and Barrows, 11-12). Juliet writes this quote in a letter to Dawsey, the first
member she became in contact with. Reading is the perfect thing to do for Guernsey people who
have been restricted from doing so many other things.
Research proves the wonders reading can do for a person Reading is a really good
stress-buster. It can help you escape to another world and get out of your everyday life
(Harding). This is similar to the experiences of many of the literary society members who
explained the influence of reading. Reading is also seen as the next best remedy to prescription

Cooper 11
medicine and reading doesnt have any side effects. Research by Mindlab International recently
revealed that out of a range of activities, reading reduced stress for most by 67 percent. This
statistic confirms my claim that reading helps the literary society through the Channel Island
occupation.
The love for books can also be developed at a young age. The Secondhand Bookseller by
Marina Nemot is about when she is younger and already had so much joy in books that she was
willing to do anything she can to get a book to read. She finds a secondhand book store and buys
a book using money she earned from selling candy. After the first book she sells one of her
school supplies to a friend to get money for another book. At purchase the worker recognizes her
love for books and allows her to borrow the book instead of paying. I thought of my angel,
Nemot loves reading books so much that she thinks of someone who can provide her with books
like an angel. In the Guernsey literary society they also find joy in reading and seek more books
to read and converse over.
Books can also be seen as the author communicating with the reader. Kurylo, author of
Culture and Communication explains At its most basic, communication can be defined as the
use of symbolic code to send messages and create meaning. The system of reading and
understand is the sense of meaning. The literary society uses reading and communication to
enjoy the books they read. There is also culture in their society. Kurylo expresses every culture
having its norms. The norms of the Guernsey literary society was literature. Every member had
an interest of reading books and it made their cultural ties closer.
A story about 1930s farm woman in South Dakota by Lisa Lindell explains the influence
of books well when she stats For the depression-era farm woman, reading books and other
materials provided recreation, instruction, and inspiration in a discouraging time. Lindell

Cooper 12
explains that the life of a farmer woman was very busy and didnt allow much time for reading
and also that in rural areas it would sometimes be difficult to get books to read. These issues
share similarities with the Guernsey literature society. The literary society were always dedicated
to taking the time to meet together for a literature discussion. They also didnt have every book
available at their fingertips. Both the Guernsey literary society and a farm woman in Lindells
piece of writing, have the same belief that reading helps people cope during difficult times.
Books are used as a treatment for mild illnesses. Bibliotherapy is the use of books as
treatment for depression and other mental illnesses. Jamie Pardini, author of "Efficacy And
Process Of Cognitive Bibliotherapy For The Treatment Of Depression In Jail And Prison
Inmates", explains the influence of books for people in jail. Pardini records a study made in jail
where 30 percent of its inmates suffer from major depression. Pardini found that using the
treatment bibliotherapy made a substantial difference in their quality of life. In this case they
were reading books about helping their depression but I believe this same principle can be used
in reading books in general. Cognitive bibliotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of
depression in a variety of populations, says Pardini. This treatment can be used in many
different situations, including the possibility of depression from the Channel Island occupation.
Some may argue that reading will not produce great results in curing stress. Although this
argument may be right for certain individuals, most people will only benefit from readings.
Reading shouldnt be seen as a cure for stress but as something to help a stressful situation. It
gets the mind focused on something besides being depressed. It is also known for broadening an
individuals horizons because learning is involved while reading. Ultimately the effects of
reading are controlled by the reader and how they choose to react to their readings.

Cooper 13
The influence of books is major in the novel The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie
Society. The Channel Islands occupation brought a toll on the lives of the Guernsey survivors. In
order to cope with their surrounding many formed a group called The Guernsey Literary and
Potato Peel Pie Society. This society worked together to bring the influence of reading books in
their lives, making it easier to escape the suffering war had brought. Their success as a literature
group proves reading is a valuable tool to ease depression.

Cooper 14

Works Cited
German Occupation of the Channel Islands." BBC News. BBC, n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Harding, Eleanor. "Can a Good Book Help Beat Depression? GPs Draw up List of 27 'moodboosting' Reads to Help Those with Mental Illness."Daily Mail Online. Associated
Newspapers, 01 Feb. 2013. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Kurylo, Anastacia. Inter/cultural Communication: Representation and Construction of Culture.
n.p. Print.
Lindell, Lisa R. ""So Long as I Can Read": Farm Women's Reading Experiences in DepressionEra South Dakota." JSTOR. Agriculture History Society, 2009. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Nemat, Marina. "The Secondhand Bookseller." N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.
Pardini, Jamie, et al. "Efficacy And Process Of Cognitive Bibliotherapy For The Treatment Of
Depression In Jail And Prison Inmates." Psychological Services 11.2 (2014): 141152. PsycINFO. Web. 01 Apr. 2015.