According to American Friends Service Committee, “numerous studies have documented the harmful psychological effects of long-term solitary confinement, which can produce debilitating symptoms and result in an increased risk of suicide and the effects are magnified for two particularly vulnerable populations: juveniles, whose brains are still developing, and people with mental health issues...” (2017). My topic of discussion deals with the injustice of social isolation in our prison system and the effects on an individual 's mental health. Kalief Browder a fairly normal adolescent residing Bronx, NY. Kalief endured false imprisonment at the age of sixteen; he spent three years and 800 days of those years were served in solitary confinement.
In an exert Krakauer included by Anthony Storr he mentions,“ If we transfer this concept to adult life, we can see that an avoidant infant might very well develop into a person whose principal need was to find some kind of meaning and order in life which was not entirely, or even chiefly, dependent upon interpersonal relationships”(61). McCandless wasn't very sociable, he didn’t feel the need to have family in his life. This explains how sometimes the way you grow up can develop you into a person who finds isolation helpful and fulfilling. He loved to read and many of the things he read motivated him. In Excerpt from Nature, “there i feel that nothing can befall me in life, - no disgrace, no calamity, (leaving me my eyes,) which nature cannot repair”(Emerson 12).
Filled with a smorgasbord of rich, detailed interviews of solo dwellers and other stakeholders to single living, Eric Klinenberg’s Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise And Surprising Appeal Of Living Alone (2012) provides an intimate account into the phenomenal rise of solo living that has both paralyzed and empowered American society; a phenomenon that is on an international rise, with its reach extending to other nations across the globe. Klinenberg’s (2002) previous research on the 1995 Chicago heat wave, in which he discovered that most of the 750-odd victims had died in isolation, served as a macabre catalyst that galvanized his initial foray into the rise of living alone. Going Solo thus begins by explaining the social changes that are leading to the rising propensity for solo living, and subsequently takes the reader through a series of life chapters; candidly chronicling the struggles, joys, and quirks of individuals living alone (a population that Klinenberg dubs “singletons” [p.4]). More importantly, he warns of the implications to merely brushing aside this epidemic of singletons as a social problem; a problematic view that echoes the woeful cries of
Isolation often leads to insanity. Human beings without companionship and love from others are left alone. They get trapped in their own minds, and become a threat to themselves. Remoteness is evident in one of the characters in Ross’ Short story “One’s a Heifer”, where Arthur Vickers becomes a victim of isolation. Desolation is apparent in Ross’s two short stories “The Painted Door” and “One’s A Heifer”.
In relation to the theme individual vs society this is exactly the type of isolation Tom felt. He is separated from his family and made a spectacle for all the white folks. “I simply wanted to tell you that there are some men in this world who were born to do our unpleasant jobs for us. Your father's one of them.” (Lee 215)
Isolation is when one is set apart from others and is virtually alone. In Laurie Anderson’s Speak, the protagonist, Melinda, isolates herself and is further isolated from others. Isolation can be seen through three symbols: lips, mirrors and a closet. Melinda thinks no one cares about what she has to say, resulting in silence. After the incident in the summer, Melinda cannot bare to look at herself.
This showcases how someone who is isolated,
In todays world, society does not look at the individuals that isolate themselves from the outside world. Those individuals may see some benefits, but they also see some negative effects to isolating themselves. Many examples of the negative aspects of isolation can be found in many different pieces of literature. In the film, “Finding Forrester,” the director Gus Van Sant utilizes the development of the character William Forrester to suggest the idea that isolation of an individual can lead to a life of fear and regret. William Forrester is the author for the famous book, “Avalon Landing,” in the movie, “Finding Forrester.”
The first glimpse of isolation we see comes from Robert Walton. The Arctic seafarer whose letters to his sister open and close Frankenstein. Walton picks the tousled Victor Frankenstein up off the ice, helps nurse him back to health, and listens to Victor’s story. Within his second letter to his sister he confides in her “But I have one want which I have never yet been able to satisfy,
Inside the diary of Anne frank, it shows how it is, hidding in a small place for a long time. As shown, I have given a description of what isolation can be and what it was like to be put through it. I recommend giving Anne frank’s diary a try, as it can teach many people what its like to be
In Catcher in the Rye, Holden Caulfield isolates himself from society in an attempt to distance himself from the “phoniness” of the adult world. One can see his isolation from society very early in the novel when he is about the only student not attending the football game but rather observing from a distance, away from the crowds: “Anyway, it was the Saturday of the football game…I remember around three o'clock that afternoon I was standing way the hell up on top of Thomsen Hill…You could see the whole field from there, and you could see the two teams bashing each other all over the place…You could hear them all yelling.” (Salinger, 2010: 2) Sir Thomas More also becomes isolated against his own will after being imprisoned for not agreeing to the King’s Act of Supremacy.
In Holden’s case, his isolation is very premature, “I was only thirteen, and they were to have me psychoanalyzed and all because I broke all the goddamn windows with my fist... I don’t blame them... I slept in the garage
After reading the article called, “Final Note on a Case of Extreme Isolation” by Kingsley Davis from Princeton University, it's sad to know that there are young children who are raised in isolation. To the point where children never learned basic skills like being able to speak, run or even walk. Though with Anna and Isabelle case in mind it's an opportunity for psychologist to learn about the affects that isolation has on a person. The reason is this is a unique opportunity for them because people can’t recreate scenarios where kids are forced to grew up in isolation just to simply learn about the effects of isolation since it goes against moral ethic. So, by having such extreme isolated cases like Anna and Isabelle they are able to speculate
Isolation and abandonment can cause many different reactions from people. In the words of William A. Sadler Jr., a sociology professor, “We often do not know how to cope. It can make us confused, distraught, depressed, frightened, and even outraged” (Sadler 105). In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, several of these effects are presented in Victor Frankenstein and his creation. They both suffer from being isolated from their creator, society, and family units.
Since the beginning of modern human civilization, there has always been tension for those who do not share the same color, background, culture, or race. People often tend to stick to those who are similar to themselves while also alienating those for are different and who seem to pose a threat. American History X is about an old brother and younger brother relationship and how one person has the ability to influence the other in a big way. Derek Vinyard, who is the older brother and Danny Vinyard, the younger brother, both live in a white supremacist mentality passed down by their father at an early age through racist comments and stereotypes. Their white supremacist ideology results in the imprisonment of Derek when he murders an African American rival when he attempt to steal his car.
