We live in a world obsessed with routine. Anyone who tries to do things differently is frowned upon. As such, the only decent thing to do is to conform. As a result, many people end up feeling alienated. They end up feeling isolated by the world which is supposed to nurture and celebrate them. Consequently, their true identity is not discovered. Despite these events, all is not lost. Some literature authors have realized this problem, and they have dared to be different. They have walked paths which not so many people have walked and changed the way the society thinks. Although there are many authors who fit the category of “philosophical writers”, only four of them will be discussed in this essay. These writers include Luigi Pirandello (who authored Six Characters in Search of an Author), Virginia Woolf (who authored Mrs. Dalloway), T. S Elliot (who authored The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock) and Herman Melville (who authored Bartleby). Nevertheless, the writers tackle the issue of alienation from the society differently. While some present it as the society’s fault, others present it as an individual fault. To a great extent, the society hates people who are different and pushes them to oblivion.
It is almost impossible to live comfortably in a situation whereby someone does not communicate his/her mind. Communicating one’s mind is the essence of humanity, and it is the essence of life. Anything short of this is akin to freezing one’s life and mind. “ It is not possible to live in front of a mirror which not only freezes us with the image of ourselves, but throws our likeness back at us with a horrible grimace” . As Pirandello argues here, it becomes difficult to reveal one’s identity when clouded with feelings of self-doubt and guilt. The sense of isolation “freezes one’s mind” and the individual is likely to feel guilty for not speaking their mind out. The only means to redeem this image is by expressing one’s feelings. Pirandello embodies this spirit, and it is what leads him to write an unorthodox story of The Six Characters in Search of an Author. His conviction that he has to communicate what he feels is the right thing overshadows the need to conform to the conventional writing styles and gives birth to the new style.
In the book’s preface, the author explains the reason why he wants to be different. He feels that people try hard to conform, but this is not the essence of art and life as a whole. As he argues, we live in a fantasy world, and we should be free to exercise that freedom. This is the inspiration which led him to write The Six Characters in Search of an Author because “Creatures of my spirit, these six were already living a life which was their own and not mine any more, a life which it was not in my power any more to deny them” (Pirandello 2). Nonetheless, he understands the dangers that could arise from such attempts. People will isolate the individual, and try to fight his spirit because they do not understand him. The society’s nonconforming attitude leaves the individual traumatized and hollow. Nonetheless, the least one can do is to educate the society and Pirandello does just that. Similar ideas are shared by Virginia Woolf in her book Mrs. Dalloway.
In Mrs. Dalloway, the concept of alienation is quite evident. A number of characters in the novel feel besieged and depressed. A good example is Septimus who is quite detached from the society. He suffers from frequent hallucinations following the death of his friend and later succumbs to suicidal thoughts. Eventually, he jumps out of the window and dies instantly. The same feeling of isolation also engulfs many of the characters in this novel, and although they are bound by history, class and love, they still feel insecure while living in this world. Here, what the author intends to bring to the fore is the fact that people think of others as objects, instead of looking at them as fellow human beings. Although the characters try to communicate, they seem to lack the right language to converse in the right manner. For example, Clarissa’s husband finds it hard to convey love to his wife through talking; instead he uses flowers to express his thoughts. Whilst there is nothing wrong with that, it highlights the fact that people do not communicate as they should. As a result, some people feel isolated. This is true for Clarissa because she wonders why her husband does not find the time to tell her “I Love You”. It is also ironical that although Clarissa’s party is meant to bring people together, they feel like a bunch of isolated individuals.
Clarissa, the main character, is resigned to the duality of human beings, and she believes that the unseen part of human beings is as important as the part which is explicitly expressed. Clarissa thinks that people “hijack” other people’s thoughts unnecessarily and make them conform to what they think. “Human beings have neither kindness, nor faith, nor charity beyond what serves to increase the pleasure of the moment”. In this novel, the author is reflecting on the importance of self-discovery. What matters is what the individual thinks of himself/herself. Indeed, this is what constitutes the true sense of self-identity, and it becomes easier for people to appreciate the person as such. The feeling of alienation is also evident in The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock authored by T.S Elliot.
In The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock, the narrator vents his frustrations because of unattained carnal love. As the narrator expresses his feelings of regret, frustration and embarrassment, he also reveals his inner ambitions. Prufrock appears to be alienated from the society, and this is evident as he longs for love and understanding. Other signs of his alienation are evident from his self-critique. For instance, he is insecure about his physical appearance; he says that his arms and legs are thin, and has a bald spot on his head. Prufrock also expresses self-doubt when he feels unsafe about how he is going to communicate. Prufrock says “How should I begin/To spit out the butt-ends of my days and ways?”. He is also worried about how people will judge his words and actions. This is evident when he says “Would it have been worthwhile.. if one..Should say”. This is something which leaves him feel further isolated because he is not sure how people will react when he tries to reach out. He is also unsure whether his efforts will be misunderstood or in vain.
In order to eliminate this feeling, he comforts himself “There will be time, there will be time/To prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet” . It is also evident that Prufrock feels that he cannot attract women because he does not possess talents such as those possessed by Michelangelo. He also argues that he is not famous, and this makes him believe that he cannot attract women. Although Prufrock’s love song is addressed to a girl, he is really conversing with himself. He is venting his anger and frustration. In the end, he feels that he should be “like a crab which settles deep in the sea alone.” Above all, Prufrock admits that he feels inadequate about his looks and his intelligence. His greatest fear is the way people will judge him. This makes him to live a bitter and unfulfilled life. The theme of alienation is also evident in the story of Bartleby, the Scrivener written by Herman Melville.
In the story, Bartleby, the main character, appears to be a sad loner. Although he works at the narrator’s expansive business empire as a copy editor, he isolates himself throughout the story. He is emotionally and physically detached from the society. In the end, Bartleby succumbs to psychological apathy and eventually dies. From the beginning, Bartleby passively resists other people, and this causes them to react in different ways. As a result of his indifference, the people refer to Bartleby as someone who “has no appetite for friends or family” and describe him using all manner of derogatory terms. For example, they refer to him as someone who is “incurably forlorn”, and someone who exhibits “morbid moodiness”. The peoples’ reaction to Bartleby makes him a captive of his own persona. It is also important to note that Bartley is treated differently from his compatriots.
The narrator (employer) treats the rest of the employees like his own children, and he even knows their food preferences and bad habits. However, Bartleby does not get the same treatment from his boss. For example, he fires back at his boss, and refuses to do some of the tasks assigned to him. Eventually, he loses his job, and succumbs to psychological distress. On the contrary, all the other employees are treated with sympathy and understanding. Although the employer briefly gives Bartleby the same kind of treatment in the early days after joining the business, their relationship deteriorates with time. Eventually, Bartleby gets himself fired. Although what happens to Bartleby is despicable, the story highlights the importance of conformance as a survival means. This is because Bartleby’s attempt to resist people leads to his physical and mental degeneration. The people around Bartleby never get a chance to know what kind of a person he is really, and so are the readers. Nonetheless, this should not be an excuse to isolate people who are different, and those who do not follow the conventional standards.
In conclusion, it is essential to point out that we live in a world whereby people react in different ways when presented with the same situation. Although the people who have tried to be different have always felt alienated in the past, there is a need to make them feel part of the world. As Pirandello puts it, life is a fantasy and nothing should be a hindrance to exploring the fantasy. Communication is always important in filling this gap, and people should be allowed to speak out. This is one of the means of constructing one’s true identity, and it should be respected as such.
Works Cited
Melville, Herman. Bartleby. New York: Putnam's Magazine, 1853. Print
Pirandello, Luigi. The Six Characters in Search of An Author. London : Nick Hern Books
1921.print.
Thomas, Elliot. The Song of Alfred J Prufrock. Warwick: Greville Press, 1910. Print.
Woolf, Virginia. Mrs Dalloway. London: Hogarth Press, 1925. Print.
