Brittany in If It Makes You Happy: Character Analysis
Overview: The Smallest Member of the Burke Family Unit
Brittany Burke is the six-year-old daughter of Cliff Burke and his ex-wife Tracy, and the younger sister of Emily. In If It Makes You Happy, she is the youngest member of the Burke household and serves as a quiet emotional anchor for the adults around her. Though the novel is told from the alternating perspectives of Michelle and Cliff, Brittany's presence shapes several key turning points in the story, from the Harvest Festival incident that first brings Michelle and Cliff together to the Halloween accident that drives a temporary wedge between Cliff and Emily. Her arc is subtle but meaningful: she moves from a child who is initially wary of Michelle's border collie Rocket to one who openly misses him, and her journey mirrors the novel's larger themes of grief, healing, and learning to accept new sources of comfort.
Brittany is not a protagonist, but she is far from a background figure. She is the reason Cliff and Michelle first interact meaningfully, the catalyst for the Halloween crisis, and the character whose emotional needs often force the adults to confront their own. Her bond with Rocket, in particular, becomes a quiet symbol of trust rebuilt after fear, and her eventual willingness to reconnect with the dog signals a broader emotional thaw in the Burke household.
Plot Role: Catalyst and Connector
Brittany's role in the plot is primarily catalytic. She is the character whose small crises and everyday needs push the adult characters into closer contact, often against their initial intentions.
The first significant instance occurs at the Harvest Festival. Brittany is knocked down by a boy named Luke, who is upset about wrestler Steve Austin's win. Cliff rushes to her side, and Michelle arrives with Rocket, having witnessed the incident from the grocery store. This moment is the first time Michelle actively intervenes in the Burkes' lives, and it leads directly to the scene in the bakery where Michelle teaches Brittany to command Rocket while Cliff tends to her scratch. This sequence establishes the central dynamic: Brittany is the bridge between two adults who are otherwise awkward and uncertain around each other.
Brittany also serves as the reason Cliff and Michelle begin their arrangement of after-school care. When Michelle offers to watch Brittany so Cliff can stay late at the bakery, she is effectively inserting herself into the family's daily rhythm. From that point forward, Brittany's schedule—school bus drop-offs, afternoons at the inn, and playtime with Rocket—becomes the scaffolding for Michelle and Cliff's growing friendship.
The Halloween incident is the most dramatic example of Brittany's plot role. While trick-or-treating, a Halloween yard decoration scares Rocket, who bolts and drags Brittany by the leash. Brittany sustains a deep cut on her knee that requires three stitches and an emergency room visit. This event has several consequences: Cliff must call Tracy, Emily feels hurt and overlooked when Cliff tells her he cannot manage two things at once, and Michelle blames herself for leaving Rocket unattended. The accident does not permanently damage Brittany, but it reshapes the family's emotional landscape and forces Michelle to confront her guilt about her growing attachment to the Burkes.
After Halloween, Brittany's avoidance of Rocket becomes a quiet daily reminder of the incident. She stops visiting the inn, and Rocket waits by the back door each afternoon. This period of estrangement between Brittany and the dog mirrors the larger emotional distance that develops between Michelle and Cliff after they agree to remain friends. Brittany's eventual softening toward Rocket—expressed during the girls' night when she says she misses him—coincides with the broader thaw in the household's tensions.
Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions
Brittany's motivations are typical of a six-year-old, but the novel shows them through specific, concrete actions. She is not given lengthy internal monologues; instead, her character is revealed through what she does, says, and reacts to.
Emotional honesty. Brittany cries openly when she is upset, whether it is over Luke's claim that Steve Austin will lose a match or the pain of a scraped knee. She does not hide her feelings, and this emotional transparency often disarms the adults around her. When Cliff comforts her after the schoolyard incident, she giggles through her sniffles, showing a quick recovery that is characteristic of her age.
Loyalty and protectiveness. Brittany is fiercely loyal to the people and things she loves. She defends Steve Austin against Luke's criticism, and she is quick to wrap her arms around Rocket's neck when the dog runs to her at the Harvest Festival, even though Cliff warns her to be cautious. Her loyalty extends to her family: she speaks with Tracy on the phone first during the Harvest Festival call, and she is excited about the prospect of visiting New York for Thanksgiving.
Curiosity and trust. Brittany is naturally curious about the new people in her life. She is the first to discover Michelle's dog through the fence, and she eagerly asks Michelle to make Halloween costumes. She trusts Michelle enough to let her braid her hair during the girls' night, and she accepts Michelle's promise of a future playdate with Rocket without hesitation. This trust is significant because it shows that Brittany is willing to move past her fear of the dog, even when the adults around her are still navigating their own complicated feelings.
Resilience. Despite the Halloween accident, Brittany does not dwell on her injury. She is described as ecstatic about the prospect of Thanksgiving in New York, and she quickly returns to her usual cheerful demeanor. Her resilience is a quiet counterpoint to the adults' more complicated emotional struggles.
Chronological Arc: From Wariness to Reconnection
Brittany's arc can be traced through several distinct phases, each marked by a shift in her relationship with the people and animals around her.
September: The Harvest Festival. Brittany's first significant appearance is at the Harvest Festival, where she is knocked down by Luke. This incident introduces her to Michelle and Rocket, and it establishes the pattern of Michelle stepping in to help. Brittany's initial interaction with Rocket is positive—she hugs him and learns to command him to sit—but it is brief and supervised.
October: Growing Comfort. Throughout October, Brittany's after-school time with Michelle becomes routine. She asks Michelle to make Halloween costumes, and Michelle spends an afternoon cutting black bedsheets in the parlor. On Halloween itself, Brittany wears a homemade Steve Austin costume and carries a disposable camera that Michelle gave her. She runs with Luke, takes photos, and participates in the trick-or-treating with enthusiasm. This period represents the peak of her comfort with Michelle and Rocket.
Halloween Night: The Accident. The accident at the storm drain is the turning point. Rocket is scared by a yard decoration, bolts, and drags Brittany by the leash. She sustains a deep cut on her knee and requires stitches. This event shatters the trust that had been building and introduces fear into her relationship with Rocket.
November: Avoidance and Estrangement. In the weeks after Halloween, Brittany stops visiting the inn. She runs inside when she sees Rocket, and she spends her afternoons at the bakery with Cliff instead. This avoidance is not framed as anger or malice; it is simply fear. Rocket, for his part, waits by the back door every afternoon, as if expecting her. This period of separation is painful for both Michelle and Rocket, and it underscores the emotional cost of the accident.
Late November: Reconnection. During the girls' night at the Burkes' home, Brittany reveals that she misses Rocket. Michelle promises a future playdate in the front yard, complete with jackets and a jacket for Rocket. Brittany agrees, and a steady smile rises onto her cheeks. This moment marks the beginning of her reconnection with the dog, and it coincides with the broader emotional thaw in the household.
Relationships: The Bonds That Shape Her
With Cliff. Brittany's relationship with her father is warm and affectionate. Cliff is attentive to her needs, from comforting her after the schoolyard incident to carrying her to the bakery when she is injured. He is playful with her, swinging her by one arm at the Harvest Festival and joking about training her to wrestle. He also takes her fears seriously, acknowledging that it will take time for her to feel comfortable around Rocket again. Brittany, in turn, is quick to seek his comfort and trust his reassurances.
With Emily. Brittany adores her older sister and often mimics her. Emily is protective of Brittany, even when she is distracted by her own concerns. At the Harvest Festival, Emily is supposed to be watching Brittany but leaves her alone with Luke, leading to the incident. Emily's guilt is evident, and she apologizes. After the Halloween accident, Emily's frustration with Cliff is partly rooted in feeling overlooked, but her love for Brittany is never in question.
With Michelle. Brittany's relationship with Michelle develops gradually. She is initially curious about Michelle's dog, and she quickly accepts Michelle as a caretaker figure. She asks Michelle to make her Halloween costume, and she is comfortable enough to let Michelle braid her hair. After the accident, Brittany's avoidance of Rocket also means avoiding the inn, which creates distance between her and Michelle. However, her willingness to accept Michelle's promise of a future playdate suggests that the bond remains intact.
With Rocket. Rocket is the most significant non-human relationship in Brittany's arc. She is initially drawn to him, hugging him at the Harvest Festival and learning to command him. After the Halloween accident, she is afraid of him, and this fear is the central obstacle in her post-Halloween storyline. Her eventual admission that she misses him is a quiet but powerful moment of healing.
With Tracy. Brittany's relationship with her mother is conducted largely over the phone. Tracy calls weekly, and Brittany is always eager to speak with her. Tracy's decision to take the girls to New York for Thanksgiving is met with excitement from Brittany, though Emily is more resistant. The novel does not dwell on Brittany's feelings about her mother's absence, but her enthusiasm for the visit suggests a healthy attachment.
Key Decisions and Consequences
Brittany makes few major decisions in the novel, but the ones she does make have significant consequences.
Running with Luke at the Harvest Festival. Brittany's decision to run with Luke, despite his earlier role in knocking her down, shows her willingness to forgive and move on. This decision does not lead to conflict; instead, it allows her to enjoy the festival and reinforces her resilient nature.
Avoiding Rocket after Halloween. Brittany's decision to avoid Rocket is not a conscious choice so much as a fear response, but it has a significant impact on the household. It creates a daily reminder of the accident, and it contributes to the emotional distance between Michelle and Cliff. Rocket's visible sadness—waiting by the back door each afternoon—underscores the cost of this avoidance.
Accepting Michelle's Promise of a Playdate. During the girls' night, Brittany agrees to a future playdate with Rocket. This decision is significant because it signals her willingness to move past her fear. It also provides a note of hope for the family, suggesting that the healing process is underway.
Theme and Symbol Connections
Brittany's arc connects directly to several of the novel's central themes.
Grief and the Slow Process of Healing. Brittany's fear of Rocket after the Halloween accident is a small-scale example of how trauma can linger. Her gradual reconnection with the dog mirrors the larger process of healing that Michelle and Cliff undergo as they come to terms with their own losses. The novel does not rush this process; instead, it shows that healing takes time and patience.
Self-Reliance vs. Accepting Community Support. Brittany's willingness to accept help from Michelle—whether it is learning to command Rocket or accepting a promise of a future playdate—stands in contrast to Michelle's initial resistance to help from the townspeople. Brittany's openness serves as a quiet model for the adults around her.
Redefining Home and Belonging. Brittany's comfort in the inn, and her eventual willingness to return to it, suggests that home is not a fixed place but a network of relationships. Her bond with Rocket, in particular, becomes a symbol of the new family that is forming around Michelle and Cliff.
Fear of Happiness and Self-Sabotage. Brittany's fear of Rocket is not self-sabotage, but it does echo the novel's larger pattern of characters pulling away from sources of happiness. Her eventual willingness to reconnect is a counterpoint to Michelle's tendency to push people away.
Family Legacy vs. Personal Desire. Brittany's enthusiasm for Thanksgiving in New York reflects her connection to her mother's side of the family, even as her daily life is rooted in Copper Run with her father. This tension between two homes is a small-scale version of the novel's larger exploration of family legacy and personal desire.
Five Book-Specific Questions and Answers
1. Why does Brittany stop visiting the inn after Halloween?
Brittany stops visiting the inn because she is scared of Rocket. The Halloween accident, in which a yard decoration frightened the dog and caused him to bolt and drag her by the leash, left her with a deep cut that required stitches. After that, she runs inside whenever she sees Rocket, and she spends her afternoons at the bakery with Cliff instead.
2. What role does Brittany play in bringing Michelle and Cliff together?
Brittany is the catalyst for several key moments in Michelle and Cliff's relationship. At the Harvest Festival, her injury brings Michelle to the bakery, where Michelle teaches her to command Rocket. Later, Michelle offers to watch Brittany after school, which creates a regular rhythm of interaction between the two adults. The Halloween accident, while traumatic, also forces them to navigate a crisis together.
3. How does Brittany's relationship with Rocket change over the course of the novel?
Brittany is initially drawn to Rocket, hugging him at the Harvest Festival and learning to command him. After the Halloween accident, she becomes afraid of him and avoids the inn. During the girls' night in late November, she admits that she misses him, and she agrees to a future playdate. This arc from trust to fear to reconnection mirrors the novel's larger themes of healing.
4. What is the significance of Brittany's homemade Steve Austin costume?
Brittany's costume reflects her loyalty to her favorite wrestler, Steve Austin, and her connection to her aunt Carol, who introduced her to wrestling. It also shows her resilience: despite Luke's earlier claim that Steve Austin would lose, she is still willing to dress as him for Halloween. The costume is a small symbol of her stubborn, cheerful nature.
5. How does Brittany's relationship with Emily change after the Halloween accident?
The accident creates tension between Emily and Cliff, as Emily feels hurt when Cliff tells her he cannot manage two things at once. However, Brittany herself does not blame Emily. The sisters' bond remains intact, and Emily's guilt is evident in her apology. The accident ultimately forces the family to address underlying tensions, but it does not damage the sisters' relationship.
Conclusion: A Quiet Force for Connection
Brittany Burke