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Unit 5: Are the Rich Happy? by Stephen Leacock

Upper Canada College in Toronto in 1891, Leacock attained a modern language degree from the Notes
University of Toronto. After receiving a Ph.D. in political economy from the University of
Chicago in 1903, Leacock joined the staff of McGill University, Montreal, as professor of economics
and politics. Leacock’s career as a humourist began when he had certain comic pieces published
as Literary Lapses in 1910. This popular book was followed by two more books of comic sketches,
Nonsense Novels (1911) and Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town (1912). Sunshine Sketches of a
Little Town is now considered his best book. Leacock continued this frantic literary output for
the rest of his career, producing more than 30 books of humour along with social commentaries
and biographies. The Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour was established after his death to
honour yearly an outstanding Canadian humourist.
“Are You Happy?” written by Stephen Leacock, first appeared in the collection Further
Foolishness: Sketches and Satires on the Follies of the Day by Stephen Leacock (John Lane
Company, 1916). This essay observes the rich and whether they are happy. Mentioning personal
experience and things he´s perceived, Leacock assesses and criticises what the rich consider
problems.

In this unit we will study more about Stephen Butler Leacock and the essay Are the Rich Happy?

5.1 About Stephen Butler Leacock

Figure 5.1: Stephen Butler Leacock

Source: http://fryeblog.blog.lib.mcmaster.ca/files/2010/03/leacock.jpg
Stephen Butler Leacock, (30 December 1869 – 28 March 1944) was an English-
born Canadian teacher, writer, political scientist, and humourist. In the early part of the 20th
century he was the best-known humourist in the English-speaking world. He is well-known for
his light humour along with criticisms of people’s irrationalities. The Stephen Leacock Memorial
Medal for Humour was named in Leacock’s honour.
The recipient of several honorary degrees, awards and distinctions (the Lorne Pierce Medal, the
Governor General’s Award, a postage stamp issued in his honour, the Leacock Medal for Humour
established in his honour), Stephen Leacock was world’s best known English-speaking humourist
in 1915-25.

5.1.1 Early Life

Stephen Leacock was born in Swanmore, Hampshire. Stephen was the third of eleven children
born to (Walter) Peter Leacock (b.1848), who was born and grew up at Oak Hill on the Isle of

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