Amir’s quest for atonement is entwined with appreciation for the sacrifices made for him in Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner (2003), one of my favorite books. He feels a belated but transformative gratitude that motivates him to make amends for his past when he finally recognizes Hassan’s loyalty and his own father’s love.
A profound and transformative emotion, gratitude has long been a theme in literature from many cultures and eras. Gratitude has been studied by writers and poets as a virtue that improves inner wisdom, fortifies interpersonal ties, and increases emotional fortitude. Literature, whether it be prose, poetry, or fiction, demonstrates how thankfulness can inspire and uplift people despite adversity. Nowadays, spiritual communities practice gratitude as a way to live more holistic lives and lessen mental toxicity. Being grateful for the little things in life is ingrained in workshops and life coaching classes, from Ikigai grids to gratitude journals.
Novels on Gratitude
Gratitude is portrayed in many books as a force that molds characters and their paths. Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol (1843) changes morally after seeing the suffering of others and the generosity he has disregarded. He declares, “I will honour Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year long,” after waking up with a renewed appreciation for life. His thankfulness brings him joy, forgiveness, and generosity.
Similar to this, the March sisters in Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women (1868) express gratitude in modest but significant ways despite their lack of wealth. When their wealthy neighbor, Mr. Laurence, gives Beth a piano, Beth says, “I’m so grateful, I don’t know how to thank you,” demonstrating her sincere gratitude. Her thankfulness embodies the main idea of the book, which is to find happiness in love and simplicity.
Gratitude is delicately woven into the relationships and character dynamics of Vikram Seth’s 1993 book A Suitable Boy. Mahesh Kapoor’s appreciation for his friend, the Nawab of Baitar, despite their divergent political and religious views is one noteworthy instance. When Hindu politician Mahesh Kapoor becomes gravely ill, the Muslim aristocrat Nawab of Baitar makes arrangements for his medical care and provides him with unwavering support. Even though Kapoor doesn’t often show his feelings publicly, his later deeds—like protecting the Nawab’s family during inter-communal conflicts—show his quiet gratitude. This unsaid gratitude serves as a bridge across differences, emphasizing the healing power of gratitude on both a social and personal level. Seth’s portrayal reflects the complexity of real life; in this case, gratitude takes the form of quiet loyalty rather than extravagant displays. In a divided post-Partition India, it promotes reconciliation by demonstrating how recognizing kindness can end animosity.
In his novels, Amitav Ghosh also frequently examines thankfulness as a subdued, transforming force, especially concerning survival, cross-cultural interaction, and human resiliency. Here are two moving instances:
Ghosh describes the relationship that develops between Piya, a marine biologist, and Kanai Dutt, a translator based in Delhi, in his 2004 book The Hungry Tide. This relationship is based on reciprocal gratitude. Despite the language barrier, local fisherman Fokir puts his life in danger to help Piya when she becomes stranded in the Sundarbans. Even though Piya is unable to express her gratitude to him directly, her admiration for his tide-knowing skills and her subsequent attempts to honor his legacy reveal a deep, unsaid appreciation that goes beyond words.
In the face of nature’s cruelty, there is a nonverbal communication here: an acknowledgment of our common humanity.
In Sea of Poppies (2008), an indentured servant named Deeti expresses gratitude to Kalua, an outsider, for saving her from her violent husband’s pyre. Deeti’s later acts of solidarity (such as sharing food on the ship Ibis) are a result of this initial debt, even though their relationship starts in desperation. Her thankfulness strengthens her fortitude, which in turn leads to the marginalized passengers on the ship collectively surviving. Gratitude as a motivator for oppression, resistance and community. Whether in the brutality of the opium trade or the tides of the Sundarbans, Ghosh connects thankfulness to historical memory and intersecting lives. Despite their infrequent use of the word “thank you,” his characters’ deeds of loyalty, protection, and kindness reveal gratitude as a quiet, sustaining force.
Poetry of Gratitude
Gratitude has long been praised by poets as a fundamental component of human experience. Wordsworth’s appreciation of nature’s blessings demonstrates how thankfulness can uplift the spirit even amid urban loneliness. He conveys his sincere appreciation for the timeless beauty of nature, which gives him comfort and spiritual rejuvenation, in his poem “Tintern Abbey” (1798):
These lovely forms have been absent from my life for a long time, much like a landscape is to a blind man:
However, I have frequently owed them sweet feelings in times of exhaustion, in lonesome rooms, and in the midst of towns and cities.
Emily Dickinson’s poem Gratitude (1862–63), in which she implies that genuine thankfulness surpasses words, is another potent illustration. Dickinson suggests that appreciation goes beyond simple words of thanks and is a silent, profound acknowledgment of kindness:
Gratitude is an expression of appreciation that comes from the bottom of one’s speech, not the mention of tenderness.
Gratitude is also emphasized as a form of resilience in Maya Angelou’s autobiographical works, including I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (1969). Angelou illustrates how thankfulness and adversity can coexist by writing with gratitude for the people who nourished her spirit despite experiencing racism and trauma.
The Role of Gratitude in Healing
By refocusing attention from suffering to happiness, gratitude promotes self-healing. The speaker in Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali (published in English in 1912) finds comfort in giving thanks to God for all of life’s blessings, which turns grief into spiritual serenity. Similar to this, the grandmother in Sudha Murty’s 2004 book How I Taught My Grandmother to Read finds purpose and healing from her feelings of inadequacy as a result of her gratitude for her granddaughter’s assistance. Gratitude fosters resilience, eliminates resentment, and reestablishes emotional equilibrium by recognizing kindness, whether it comes from the universe or other people. “Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers but to be fearless in facing them,” as Tagore puts it. Thus, gratitude turns into a route to inner fortitude and rejuvenation.
In conclusion
Gratitude is shown in literature to be a complex emotion that unites, heals, and transforms people. Gratitude is presented as a source of joy and a moral compass in everything from Wordsworth’s appreciation of nature to Scrooge’s redemption. Literary works remind us that being grateful is not just a way to respond to kindness but also a way to view the world with grace and humility, whether through large-scale actions or introspective contemplation. Developing gratitude is one of literature’s most enduring and uplifting themes because, as these accomplished authors demonstrate, it benefits both the giver and the recipient.
About the Columnist
Vinita Agrawal has authored six books of poetry. Books edited by her include two anthologies on climate change, The Centennial Volume on Nissim Ezekiel – Poet & Father, and one on the Kashmiri Poet Ghulam Rasool Nazki. She is the recipient of the Jayanta Mahapatra National Award for Literature 2024, the Proverse Prize Hong Kong 2021, the Rabindranath Tagore Literary Prize 2018 and the Gayatri GaMarsh Memorial Award for Literary Excellence, USA, 2015. Her book Eartha has been longlisted for the Sarojini Naidu Award for Poetry 2025. She won a special mention in the Hawkers Prize 2019. Her work was shortlisted for the inaugural Dipankar Khiwani Memorial Prize 2021. She co-edits the Yearbook series of Indian Poetry in English. She was the former Poetry Editor with Usawa Literary Review. Her work has been widely published and anthologized. She is on the Advisory Board of the Tagore Literary Prize. She was one of the twenty poets to be featured in a documentary on Asian poets titled Deepest Uprising, made in Taiwan. She is a birder and a photographer.
