Question

How does G. K. Chesterton in his essay On Running after one's Hat, romanticize difficult situations by dwelling on the notion that "An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered'"?

Answer 1

 In our day to day life, we come across many situations good or bad. Every unfavourable situation whether it’s big or trivial, irritates most of us, most of the time. This research paper throws light on our attitude towards petty affairs in our daily routine. We start losing patience and getting irritated even for the least significant things. We unnecessarily stress ourselves very often. Instead of doing so if we take these least important things lightly, we can get rid of this irritation and distress. The study points out that instead of grumbling at these petty inconvenient situations, how can we enjoy these moments. It may sound strange but the fact is that it really happens. While encountering routine inconveniences, many people curse the system, the people concerned, the time, and even their own destiny and so on, on the other hand, some of us who are fun-loving, enjoy these moments. G.K. Chesterton’s essay ‘On Running After One’s Hat’ enriched with humour, is the perfect example of it. It helps us in accomplishing this task. Through this essay, he tries to convey a message to people that it is better to view annoying situations that occur (when not in our control) in our daily life with a little optimism. He gives several examples of annoying situations that people may find themselves involved in. Chesterton was of the opinion that even a very minor incident can provide us with pleasure in life if we have a positive attitude. There is an opportunity for fun and enjoyment in everything. Everything depends upon our attitude. It is our attitude that makes things convenient or inconvenient. He is of the opinion that when you have no choice and no control over the happenings, it’s better to handle them lightheartedly and with optimistic, romantic and comic vision. In “On Running After One’s Hat” and “The Romantic in the Rain” he argues that one should joyously and poetically transform the irritations of everyday life. In this lesson, he says that no matter it was flooded in London but he took this situation as the additional splendour of great sheets of water, where there must be something quite incomparable in the landscape (or waterscape) of in this romantic town. Some consider such romantic views of flood or fire slightly lacking in reality. But really this romantic view of such inconveniences is quite as practical as the other. The true optimist who sees in such things an opportunity for enjoyment is quite as logical and much more sensible than the ordinary. In the end, he says that everything depends upon the emotional point of view.