A cross-cultural contextual analysis of positive psychology and existential well-being in tragic narratives

Starting from ancient Greeks, the paradox of tragedy has been discussed and examined in the long-term. Considering the “uplifting effect on personal life happiness” of viewing tragedies (Knobloch-Westerwick et al. 2013), this paper examined the symbiotic relationship between positive psychology and tragic literary works and identified the differences and similarities in the expression of positivity across cultures. With a focus on To live and The Old Man and the Sea , which represent the widely known modern tragic novels in Eastern and Western cultures, this paper looks at the demonstration of positive ideas in cross-culturally tragic literary works through in-depth analysis in how the characters in tragic narrative experience and confront suffering, unraveling the complexities of human resilience and growth in the face of plight. Through comparative analysis, this paper discusses the joint and cross-cultural understanding of well-being and considers the religious and philosophical background of the different contexts. The paper argues the power of integrating positive psychology into the interpretation and appreciation of tragic stories, states the ways in which literature can serve as a lens to understand and pursue well-being, and suggests the possibility of utilizing literary works in positive and multicultural education, contributing to the intersection of psychology and comparative literature.