Isolation in American Literature Essay

The person and his role in decree, establish on American literature, is portrayed by dint of many different tones, all sharing the uniform feelings of closing off. The feeling of isolation, in reference to huckabackleberry Finn , is a choice that Huck Finn brings on himself. Throughout rebellion towards his father, Huck tries to find his true self by isolating himself from societies views and beliefs. In the novel Great Gatsby , by F. Scoot Fitzgerald, Jay Gatsby was stranded from the outside world by night club.Throughout many examples of American Literature we are aware that isolation was not a pleasurable kingdom of freedom, only if more like a state of imprisonment brought on by society. In Steinbecks Of Mice and Men, Lenny was discriminate by societies fear of difference. connection was prejudice against Lennys differences. This caused isolation in both societies standards and in Lennys mind. Throughout many images portrayed by American Literature, the recurring top ic of isolation is a role that each fiber takes on based on societies beliefs, views, and prejudices.Isolation played a key role of the character development in Huckleberry Finn. Twain carefully selected ways to show isolation in Hucks life based on societies views of his adventures, thoughts, and of his feelings toward slavery. Hucks beliefs in issues that society condoned isolated him from the normal state of life sentence that everyone else practiced. This same view that society cast upon Huck was likewise throw away upon Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby . Because of his wealth and his self-removal from gossip and separate immoral issues, that society thrives on, Jay too, was isolated.Maybe this state of seclusion was brought on by society but Nick Carraway demonstrated that, Once banishment is brought on by others, it is in brief picked up within. (Fitzgerald, Great 86) Hester Prinne also demonstrates a state of solitariness, in The orange red Letter. After society condemns her actions she goes into seclusion and lives in her avouch state of peace. This is brought on by societies harsh judgments. This leads to total isolation of their views in Hesters mind. She knows that on that point is a difference between her beliefs and societies views of morals.These beliefs, that she has come to accept, yet curse at the same time, cause her to continue to wear the Scarlet letter, but these beliefs also cause her to isolate herself so she is not outcast by society. Lenny Small, in Of Mice and Men , is outcast into a state of seclusion all because of societies prejudices and views on living, thinking, and acting. (Hart, Oxford 73) Always having a special place for Lenny to run off to and peel when things got tough is some other example of isolation. When society didnt feel something was honorable with Lennys behavior he would go into seclusion and isolate himself from the world.The concomitant that Lenny Small was not aware of the way people outcast him ex hibits another form of isolation. Lennys sequestration by society set the overall issue of isolation in Of Mice and Men. Huckleberry Finn isolated himself from society because he rebelled against their unwitting beliefs. Every time Huck changed identifies, he isolated himself even deeper. The overall character change of Huck Finn demonstrates Twains own rebellion against societies views. (Scott, Mark 38) As Huck Finn comes across the different aspects, attitudes, and restrictions of society, he learns to prefer his own individual freedom over societies restrictions.Gatsby is secluded out of both, personal choice, and societies choice. Under his own personal choice of isolation Gatsby seems satisfied, but when the issue of society denounce him arose, the view of isolation seems less appealing. When seclusion by society is make into a recurring theme in Great Gatsby, Jay tries to change his affable status and forgets about his moral responsibility. He becomes like all other cha racters in society that judge and gossip. This new outlook may wedge him out of isolation, but in the end it also kills him. The need for societal acceptance pulls the trigger that ends Jay Gatsbys life.Throughout many examples of American Literature, it is patent that society played a key role in character development. In numerous examples from American Literature we see that society isolated certain characters for being different than the socially accepted person. Authors, such as Mark Twain ( a. k. a. Sammual Clemmens), John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and Nathanial Hawthorne, portray the best examples of isolation in their classic American literature novels. They show, throughout their novels, that the conflict between society and the individual is based on seclusion, condemnation, but most of all through isolation.