Theme of Social Isolation-Free-Samples-Myassignementhelp.com

Question: learn which differences and similarities between texts are significant and worthy of analysis to articulate their own interpretation of the texts in the form of a thesis statement and prove it over the course of an essay. Answer: Thesis Statement: As a result to societal pressure, social isolation makes the individuals feel about their lack of gravity in their life and tries to confirm the social ideas for living an authentic life which later leads the individuals in having more superficial and flawed relationships. Introduction: Social isolation has been manifested in different forms all through the society. The sense of isolation is also a representative of the individuality within the society that demands conformity and comfort. These also acts as societal pressures on an individual and causes a desolate sense of indifference amongst people, sense of their own self and their world. In T.S. Eliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock the poet has indicated to the awareness of an individual to his own insufficiency while being alone, which also discloses the inner fear and thoughts. Similarly, Paul Simons The Sound of Silence can also be interpreted as a satire to the materialistic society. This essay will trigger the usage of the theme of social isolation in both these poems. Discussion: In T.S. Eliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, the poet creates an inter-textual link with Dante, Henry James and Robert Browning genre and frames the poem in a way that acts as a parallel link to the alienated experience of the central character with the materialistic and superficial society and his dreams. From the very beginning of the poem, there is a sense of paralysis in the poem coupled with anxiety and waffling. The sense of paralysis also revolves around the sexual and social anxiety of the character. According to critics, this poem is also an evaluation of a tormented psyche of any modern prototypical man who is eloquent, overeducated, emotionally stilted and neurotic. As the speaker of the poem, Prufrock has been shown to address a potential lover who can be with him and like to force the moment to its crisis while they consummate their relationship. However at the same time he realizes that he has known life too much for approaching any woman. Anxiety has been a prev alent image in the poem when the image of the protagonist is "pinned and wriggling on the wall" under any persistent woman gaze (The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, line no. 58). In contrast to the societal norms, here the poet shows that the women seem to pay more attention to Prufrock. However, his obsession with his bald spot strikes a sharp contrast to the beautiful mermaid while she combs "white hair of the waves blown back". Here the hair acts as a representation of virility. Therefore, it can also be pointed out that the social isolation of the character is profoundly rooted in the psychosexual anxiety of the character. Prufrocks continuous return to women [who] come and go / Talking of Michelangelo (The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, line no 13) and the repeated questions and negative appraisals tend to refers to the consciousness of a neurotic modern individual. His obsession is aesthetic but it is also a symbol of social isolation and compulsiveness. In a similar way, Paul Simons The Sound of Silence also talks about societal isolation that is prevalent in the modern society. The speaker here is shown to wake up in the middle of a dark night and talks to the darkness, Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again/ because a vision softly creeping, left its seeds while I was sleeping/ and the vision that was planted in my brain, still remains/ within the sound of silence (Sound of Silence, line no. 1-4). This poem is also incorporated with the idea of individual social isolation as people have forgotten the actual value and meaning of life. Most of them are running behind the materialistic pleasure and luxury. Even if people are earning a lot, the money is not being able to bring the ultimate happiness to them. Rather it can be said that the modern generation is moving further from what is true happiness as they have continuously ignored their goal of life. People, nowadays, fight and debate about meaningless thi ngs. The prevalent idea of this poem is that people have gradually replaced their personal relationships with the modern technology. With the symbols of electric warning sign and neon lights, the poet has shown the isolating factors that are continuously breaking the understanding and communication amongst people. These factors are continuously isolating them from their thoughts, personal hopes, experiences and pain. These are like the social media sites, email, messages and other depersonalizing varieties of communication that apparently are representing the progress in life, but they are creating more distance between people. On a more deep level, people may have progressed and reached to the neon and electric lights from the torches and candle lights, but they have forgotten to read others facial expression. Just as the neon lights give brilliant glow, the social media sites and the modern technologies happen to offer improved interpersonal connection apparently, however they lac k the strength and intensity of the natural beings. People are now busier in creating interpersonal misunderstanding that rips them apart. Simon also says that the capitalists and multinational companies are now the God of the society. They decide the choices, goals, and necessities of people as they have commercialized almost everything around people for their own benefit. Through this poem, Simon has represented a frightening scenario of the contemporary world which is doomed as it seriously lack the spiritual sense and filled with socially isolated human beings. Conclusion: Social isolation is a common theme in the contemporary poetry due to its prevalence in the common mans life. The modern hazards of life such as urbanization, industrialization and dehumanization have changed the attitudes of human beings and it has gradually pushed the old values at the background. This has also contributed in societal isolation and lead having a superficial life. The poets have narrated that the modern people have now lost their togetherness and started living an isolated and broken life. Therefore a large section of the population now feels that their life is purposeless. Reference List The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock. T.S. Eliot. 1920. Prufrock and Other Observations. (2017). Bartleby.com. Retrieved 22 October 2017, from https://www.bartleby.com/198/1.html Sound of Silence. (1965). Retrieved 22 October 2017, from https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/paulsimon/thesoundofsilence.html