Alienation In Psychology

Sociologists such as Herbet Mc Closky, Richard Schacht, Jan Haida, Michael Aiken, Jerald Huge, Melvin Seeman, Beijamin Zablocki and Emile Durkhein opine that alienation is a result of human powerlessness, meaninglessness. Cultural estrangement, social isolation and self-estrangement.
From the sociologist point of view, alienation can be divided in 2 realms: Structural and socio-psychological. Societal Alienation refers to the situation where a person feels alienated from the society due to its societal structures i.e. there is a distance between an individual and the work product and an individual’s treatment on the basis of class, caste, race, gender etc.
The Socio-Psychological feeling of alienation begins with one’s realization of their

The feelings of meaninglessness is related to the emotions of the individual. They feel disillusioned with the whole system because their expectations are not being fulfilled.
Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), the father of psychology, refers to the alienation as a “self-estrangement caused by the split between the conscious and unconscious parts of the mind, The constant blocking and suppression of a person’s feelings, emotions and sexual instincts make then less effective and detach them from their real nature alienating them from their actual being.
Franz Kafka (1882-1924) an existential thinker has time and again exposed the complex and psychological states of the modern human through fictional characters e.g. Metamorphosis- The Hunger Artist.
All the approaches to alienation have become prominent parts of modern literature. Literature as a mirror of society helps to expose the alienation of the human through its genres i.e. novel, drama, poetry, prose, etc. Time and again, writers have pointed out alienation as a representing a social, political and psychological evil and portrayed a real picture of the pessimistic views of the sad realities of

Maya is a passionate and romantic young lady who also craves for physical union, but unfortunately her obstinate husband never cares for her biological urges. She frankly accepts that –“It was not only his presence, his love that I longed for, but mainly for the life that would permit me to touch him, feel his flesh and hair, hold and then tighten my hold on him”(Desai, 2005, 88).
The constant suppression of biological urges and negligence of the emotional and physical would by her counterpart tears her psyche. Consequently, in her most isolated days, she recalls the albino astrologer’s prophecy, and she has visions for her own death, but in the flux of an existential dilemma she pushes her husband from the roof. Thus, the climax of May’s alienation leads her to a mental breakdown.
Sita, although she has all the necessary, luxuries in the flat of her in-law’s house in Bombay, is emotionally unfulfilled. In Hanging Garden”, the emotional sharing of a couple makes her realise her own meaningless existence. It is unconditional love she craves, but her rigid husband never comes to know her desires. The deprivation of love, sympathy and concern thrusts her into a deep prison of