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All of mankind experiences the feeling of exile and isolation at one point or another. It is not necessary for a certain person to be a hero or to be striving towards some significant goal to be considered in alienation. Nor is it essential for the person to be isolated physically from society. One can feel completely estranged from all others although he ("He" is being used to represent both genders) is surrounded by a multitude of people. How is it possible for one to feel such alienation when surrounded by family, friends, or even society in general? To understand this point, one must keep in mind that isolation is not merely an outward or physical emotion. More often than not, this emotion is mental, spiritual, and even psychological. Thus, it may be occurring solely within the person’s mind; in other words, the person is fighting an inner struggle with himself, which forces him to isolate himself from all mankind. In layman’s terms, alienation is simply a feeling of not belonging and isolating oneself from others. This emotion can be mental, physical, religious, spiritual, psychological, political, and economic. For instance, in The Grapes of Wrath, Tom Joad is an ex-convict who is pretty much exiled from all of society in his views as well as in physical terms. How is he isolated from everyone in terms of physical being? As the plot unfolds, Tom Joad brutally murders one of Casy’s murderers. Now Tom must hide to prevent being caught. Rather than live with his family and create dangerous trouble for them, Tom decides to leave and carry on his own work against unfair working conditions. This is a clear example of physical alienation; Tom Joad is isolated from his family in order to hide from the laws. However, it is essential to note that Tom does not just disappear from the face of the earth. Rather, he devotes his life to helping all victimized people and organizing labor strikes to combat exploitation. It is appropriate to note Tom’s departing words to his mother: "I'll be aroun' in the dark, I'll be ever'where--wherever you look. Wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever they's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there." In a way, Tom isolates himself from his biological family to help an even larger family: the family of mankind. As for feeling isolated mentally, Tom’s ideas and values are so varied from those of his fellow human beings that he is automatically alienated from society. For instance, because of these values and his stubborn and quick-tempered personality, he believes in aggressively combating all the evils perpetrated by the sheriffs and deputies rather than accepting them as many of the poor and helpless farmers do. In addition, he even quarrels with those who are ready to admit defeat, such as the truck driver who gives him a lift and the one-eyed man who feels self-pity. He is never reluctant when it comes to lifting his hand and shedding some blood to fight for equality and fairness. He is, by nature of his total self, is in isolation from the rest of society. Sometimes one tends to possess something inside of himself that exiles him from all others. It is this internal emotion that prevents one from living in complete harmony with the rest of society. If this person’s agenda is narrow and self-serving, it pulls the person down into his own dark cave where only his thoughts and feelings exist, and these emotions are what he strives to fulfill, regardless of the effect it may have on the rest of society. Take Connie Rivers for example. The battle he fights with himself leads him to leave his pregnant wife and the circle of family the moment he realizes that his dreams are crushed. He sees that he will not be able to provide his child and wife with modern amenities. Disappointed and frustrated, Connie walks out on his family. He preferred running away to remaining with the Joads as a much needed link of strength in the chain of family; in other words, he was a coward. Does living in exile necessarily mean that one is evil and corrupt? Or can an alienated person be just as good-hearted and caring as any other connected person? "He who is unable to live in society, or who has no need because he is sufficient for himself, must be either a beast or a god." – Aristotle, Politics. As stated by Aristotle in this quote, one who does not live in society is usually one of these two things. The "beast" would be one who possesses an evil inner dragon, such as Connie Rivers. He would be concerned only with himself and would do as he pleased without paying any heed to those around him. Then, of course, there is the "god," or hero. The "god", on the other hand, works for the welfare of those around him; he isolates himself to fight for the goodness of others. A primary example of such a hero is Tom Joad, who works to improve conditions for the poor tenant farmers. The feeling of alienation is common among the ordinary man, whether he is pressured to live in such a way by society or by his own designs. Most important to keep in mind, however, is that in the end, every man is for himself. ~ Ekta Shah Here are some additional links: Basic structure, style, theme,and character analysis Essays and analysis by Harvard Students A worthwhile site for all the basic elements of the novel A great site for model essays, resources, and summaries Steinbeck and Transcendentalism
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Advisor:
Mr. Russo
A.P English 3 McNair Academic High School
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