Welcome to the world of exile literature - a most educational and rewarding experience. Literature of exile is an exploration of how authors alienate their characters and use alienation to develop a plot, theme, or main idea. The isolation is the foundation for the message of the author. Exile, like any major literary category, can be found within a broad spectrum of literature. It can be seen in nineteenth century classics like The Scarlet Letter, in Greek parables like The Cave Allegory, and in relatively modern works like The Fountainhead. Each work employs the theme of exile in a different manner, yet each uses the theme to express an idea about the author, the characters, or human beings in general.

The Glass Managerie by Tennessee Williams is centered around the main character, Tom. Tom refuses to cooperate with his mothers wishes to stay home. Since her husband abandoned the family she seems to have a loneliness complex. Although Tom is genuinely not trying to avoid the family deep down inside he feels a void that he needs to fill. Only by attending movie houses at night religiously. One might wonder why such a young man would abandon his family to attend these movie houses.

In the Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, the characters all experience different types of isolation from society, each other, or themselves. No matter how the separation is carried out, the ‘abnormal’ society dictates is definitely not the normal in anyone’s interests. For example, the dignity of women is considered unimportant because they are not considered of equal standing with men. To the heads of state, they are nothing but objects that can be played with at the man’s interests and desire and done away with if not capable of producing offspring. These affairs were all an attempt to find some type of fulfillment and happiness. It was the result of the restraints and structure of a society that had forced its citizens to accept the agenda of an elite ruling minority.  The novel brings forth many interesting concepts and ideas that are shocking because they can possibly happen. This concept is certainly disturbing yet unavoidable.

One cannot dismiss the underlying isolation of the powerful majority. The tragedy of Macbeth is a prime example of emotional exile projected onto the physical world-specifically, the prey of the ambitious. Macbeth began as a war hero, a man who was destined to become King of Scotland; but his desire to fulfill his destiny was so strong that he sacrificed everything for it. Through his sacrifice, he not only destroyed the life of others but destroyed his own life by alienating all of his potential associates. Every man that posed a threat to him was executed by him. He died having not tasted the sweet savor of friendship.

While Macbeth is a man of ambition, in The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck, Jim Casy is a man of sacrifice. He is a former preacher who feels isolated from his Christian religion - in truth, he loved people more than he loved Jesus, who was merely someone about whom stories were told. Jim decides to find a means of helping all people in every way possible. During his journey and suffering, Casy aids Tom during a brawl and even sacrifices in his behalf by going to jail in his place. Casy’s main belief is that strength lies in unity; fragmented, no one stands a chance. Casy devoted his life to this cause and eventually gave his life for it. Thus, one can easily observe how Casy progresses through the basic stages of alienation and, ultimately, sacrifice his life for the good of the people he so dearly loved.

Through the characters in these books, readers can begin their own journey through exile - we become part of Nature’s perpetual cirlce. In every life as in every book, a new lesson is learnt and we become closer to the Truth and the "spiritual" dimension where we are unleashed from the cycle and time ceases to exist. In Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder gives readers a glimpse of this ultimate dimension through the philosophical journey of Sophie Amunsden. Therefore, it is inferred that philosophy is the key to unraveling the circle, which we are all a part of (perhaps in more ways than one). The only element needed is the faculty of wonder and perhaps a good book.