Arts & Humanities, Research, Columbia University, Leadership & Research Laidlaw Scholars, Barnard College

The Power of "Happily Ever After": How Children's Stories Build Resilience & Optimism

This project examines how happy endings in children’s literature foster resilience and optimism. Through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I show how stories act like therapy—guiding children through conflict toward hope and possibility.
Go to the profile of Eedha Kaul
Eedha Kaul
Student, Barnard College
The Power of "Happily Ever After": How Children's Stories Build Resilience & Optimism
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Go to the profile of Eedha Kaul
Eedha Kaul
Student, Barnard College

Hi! I'm Eedha, a rising sophomore at Barnard College, Columbia University, where I’m majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing (and maybe minoring in French, too!). My love for storytelling has shaped both my academic journey and my Laidlaw research. I'm exploring the role of happy endings in children’s literature: can stories that end well do more than comfort? Can they spark resilience, hope, and a sense of agency in young readers facing an uncertain world? Through this project, I hope to better understand the quiet power of optimism in shaping childhood and how literature might offer more than escape.

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Go to the profile of Dhruv Srivastava
Dhruv Srivastava
2 months ago

This is really interesting work Eedha!

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