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Solitude in One Hundred Years of Solitude
Solitude in One Hundred Years of Solitude
Summary essay of solitude
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Alienation is a feeling of not belonging in society, caused by the general public’s or one’s own view of the world that causes a clash between what is considered good or bad—dissimilar or customary. Throughout the centuries, alienation has occurred constantly due to society’s fears of something or someone so dissimilar to what is considered part of the norm. And although there are two types of alienation—one that is self-decided and one that is forced upon by others—the negative results of it always remain the same. These harmful consequences as well as isolation itself is exposed and criticized in many works of literature, specifically: “The Fall of the House of Usher” by Edgar Allan Poe, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Gilman. Whether it is self-decided or forced upon by others, in these mentioned works of literature, the idea that isolation will always end in tumultuous results greatly reinforces the fragility and the flaws of human nature as well as the negative factors of alienation itself.
In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, the nameless narrator’s forced alienation ends in her demise, thereby proving the infirmity and imperfections of humans as well as the knowledge that alienation will only harm people. In the beginning of the story, the narrator, who is suffering from a post-partum depression, acts very demure with her husband and constantly lets him win their little tiffs and refuses to say “no more on that score” (Gilman 5), believing that since he is a man and she is a woman, he is allowed to control her anyway he deems necessary. This leads to her imprisonment to her room for most of the day and it slowly causes her to go insane because of her husband’s pride. Her husband keeps ins...
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...lienation is because of society’s fears of being confronted by something “alien” or “out of place” in their “normal” community. Thus, due to the clash between “good” and “bad”, alienation—the feeling of not belonging in the society one lives in—occurs.
Works Cited
“Of Mice and Men.” Novels for Students. Vol. 1. 1997. Print.
Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 1993. Print.
“The Yellow Wallpaper.” Short Stories for Students. Vol. 1. 1997. Print.
“The Fall of the House of Usher.” Short Stories for Students. Vol. 2. 1997. Print.
Mowery, Carl. “Short Stories for Students.” Ed.2. Kathleen Wilson. Detroit, MI: Gale Research,
1997. 58-62. Print.
“Charlotte Perkins Gilman, The Yellow Wallpaper (1899).” n.p. n.d. 30 May 2011.
“The Fall of the House of Usher.” The Literature Network. The Literature Network. 2011. 30
May 2011.
In “Fall of the House of Usher”, the setting takes place at the house of Usher, whose friend, the main character, comes to visit because Usher is dying. He travels through the house, visiting the family members and sees the house is in a serious state of disrepair. A theory on the story
“The Fall of the House of Usher” and “House Taken Over,” are two short stories that
...nderson, 107). The novels demonstrate that humans react to alienation by choosing to alienate themselves rather than allow others to alienate them. The protagonists intentionally withdrew themselves from society before society could hurt them by denying them acceptance. They equally fear rejection which is common among human kind.
Feeling alone or isolated is not only a common theme is all kinds of literature, but something that many people face in life. Alienation is the perception of estrangement or dissatisfaction with one’s life. This means you feel like you don’t fit or connect, whether it’s from society, family, or a physical object. These feelings can be due to a lack of deep connections, not believing the same ideals as your society, and many other things. In Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451, he discusses a man who goes against governmental rule and reads. EA Robinson portrays a man everyone inspires to be, but in the end he isn’t happy and kills himself. Lastly, WH Auden accounts of an “unknown citizen” who also has a picture perfect life, but in the end
Poe, Edgar A, and David D. Galloway. The Fall of the House of Usher and Other Writings:
Poe, Edgar Allen. "The Fall of the House of Usher". R.V.Cassill, ed. The Norton Fiction. New York, London, 1995.
In the stories “To Set Our House in Order” and “The Lamp at Noon” the authors are both able to effectively communicate that alienation is self-inflicted, while using multiple different techniques. As a result it becomes apparent that each author can take a similar approach to the alienation of a character in the story yet develop the theme in a unique way.
concern to men of the seventeenth century. Out of the oppressive setting of the seventeenth century
In the story “The Fall of the House of Usher”, Poe presents the history of the end of an illustrious family. As with many of Poe’s stories, setting and mood contribute greatly to the overall tale. Poe’s descriptions of the house itself as well as the inhabitants thereof invoke in the reader a feeling of gloom and terror. This can best be seen first by considering Poe’s description of the house and then comparing it to his description of its inhabitants, Roderick and Madeline Usher.
Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “The Fall of the House of Usher”, sets a tone that is dark, gloomy, and threatening. His inclusion of highly descriptive words and various forms of figurative language enhance the story’s evil nature, giving the house and its inhabitants eerie and “supernatural” qualities. Poe’s effective use of personification, symbolism, foreshadowing, and doubling create a morbid tale leading to, and ultimately causing, the fall of (the house of) Usher.
No matter what your interpretation of “The Fall of the House of Usher” may be, it is almost impossible to deny it as one of the greatest short stories ever written. It stands as one of the many great testaments to the literary genius of Edgar Allan Poe and helps affirm his high ranking of American history.
Alienation, the state of being isolated from a group or category that one should be apart of, exists in three forms; man’s alienation from man, man’s alienation from fellow men, and man’s alienation from the world itself. These three classes of alienation are fluid phases of the same process that exists to some extent within every member of society. The intriguing and complex nature of alienation has sparked the interest of many philosophers, artists, and authors around the world, resulting in works of art and literature that attempt to give insight into living life alone. Authors Herman Melville and Frank Kafka both reveal the struggles of functioning set apart from society through the protagonists in their respective short stories; Bartleby the Scrivener, and The Hunger Artist. The overall theme of marginalization in society in both Bartleby the Scrivener and The Hunger
individuals, society, or work. Some sociologists believe that alienation is inevitably produced not by the individual but by the shallowness and the lack of individuality in modern society. The concept of alienation has been held to account for behaviour patterns. as diverse as motiveless violence and total immobility. Alienation is a state in which the creations of humanity appear to humans as alien objects.
Poe, Edgar Allan. “The Fall of the House of Usher.” The American Tradition in Literature. Ed. George Perkins and Barbara Perkins. ___________________: McGraw Hill., 2008. Pg-pg. Print.
Theme of Alienation in Literature A common theme among the works of Nathaniel Hawthorne is alienation. Alienation is defined as emotional isolation or dissociation from others. In Hawthorne's novels and short stories, characters are consistently alienated and experience isolation from society. These characters are separated from their loved ones both physically and psychologically. The harsh judgmental conditions of Puritan society are the cause of isolation for these characters and eventually lead to their damnation.