The Bell Jar and Isolation Essay Example

The Bell Jar and Isolation Essay Example The Bell Jar and Isolation Essay The Bell Jar and Isolation Essay Isolation in general has a lasting effect on a person’s growth and understanding. As isolation comes in different forms, the effect it has on the nature of man also varies. The one thing that all forms of isolation have in common is that they influence an individual’s growth in some way. Forced isolation is isolation that is involuntary, or against the will. Isolation in which an individual isolates himself or herself is considered self-inflicted. Both of these types have adverse effects on an individual’s growth. Social isolation, as opposed to forced or self-inflicted isolation, has the most detrimental effect on an individual’s mental growth and understanding of illusion versus reality as it deprives the individual of the necessary factors that shape him or her into an acceptable member of society, manifested in William Golding’s Lord of the Flies. The need for rules is instrumental in influencing an individual’s mental growth. This aspect of human nature is taken away by social isolation in Lord of the Flies. As the novel progresses, the boys agree that â€Å" [they’ve] got to have rules and obey them† (Golding 42). This affirms the boys’ innate need for rules and structure. For a time, rules are what bind the boys together. As rules and regulations begin to deteriorate, the boys’ senses begin to fade away as well. These rules begin to lose power as social isolation slowly strips away the their humanity and they begin to lose sight of reality. Another factor needed for growth into an acceptable member of society is the need for social interaction, or the need for assembly. More than once Ralph, the elected leader in Lord of the Flies, voices his opinions that â€Å" [they] need an assembly†(Golding 79). Social interaction is a necessity that shapes an individual into an accepted member of society. It is through relationships that people are able to learn common behavior that is universally acceptable. Family and community relationships are another part of the boy’s lives stolen by social isolation. Without some form of interaction, an individual becomes lost in the very core of his or her own nature. This rarely results in benefit to the individual as explored in this novel. Deprived of social interaction, the boys as a whole begin to lose sight of who they really are. A misunderstanding of illusion versus reality is amplified in J. D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Self-inflicted isolation, portrayed by Salinger’s protagonist, Holden Caulfield, does not have the same effect on an individual as social isolation does. Self-inflicted isolation is not the most detrimental form of isolation, as it is a chosen path to take. Holden describes this state of isolation as he reflects, â€Å" I don’t even know what I was running for-I guess I just felt like it† (Salinger 5). Running is used as a symbol to refer to this character’s chosen decline into isolation. Throughout the novel, Holden has multiple chances to regain his mental stability. These chances are symbolized by the multiple opportunities to call Jane Gallagher, the character who represents Holden’s innocence and sanity. By not taking this chance, Holden has made a choice that leads him further into isolation. Salinger made himself an example of this self-infliction as he isolated himself from society. Forced isolation does not have the same effect on an individual’s cognitive growth as social isolation. Forced isolation, portrayed by Esther Greenwood in Sylvia Plath’s The Bell Jar, has certain characteristics that make it detrimental, but it also has a number of aspects that make it beneficial to an individual. One may be forced into isolation for his or her own good. An example of this is when a person’s psychological state is in question. Following Esther’s attempted suicide, Mrs. Greenwood, Esther’s mother, forces Esther into a hospital and then into a mental institution. Esther was a danger to herself and to those around her. As a result, she was committed to an institution and received treatment. Following her treatment, Esther states that â€Å"the bell jar hung, suspended, a few feet above [her] head. [She] was open to the circulating air† (Plath 176). This proves that Esther begins to feel better after her being forced into isolation. Social isolation is the most detrimental form of isolation, regarding an individual’s growth and understanding of illusion versus reality. By inhibiting the factors that shape an individual into an acceptable member of society, social isolation creates a new person, one ruled by his or her own human nature. Without rules or social interaction, this person exhibits the worst flaws in humanity. Jack, the main antagonist of William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, portrays this created individual. The consequences of other forms of isolation are not as severe. In certain situations, forced isolation is a benefit to the individual or for the greater good of society. An example of this would be a criminal being sent to jail. Self-inflicted isolation can also have positive results. An individual may isolate himself or herself for his or her own personal gain. A monk taking a sabbatical to become more in tune with himself or herself would be considered an example of self-inflicted isolation. Overall, it is evident that social isolation is the most detrimental to an individual as it inhibits human growth and understanding of illusion versus reality. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. Great Britain: Faber Faber, 1954. Plath, Sylvia. The Bell Jar. New York: Harper Row, 1971. Salinger, J D. The Catcher in the Rye. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1951.