Depths of Isolation and Despair in Ernest Hemmingway
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Depths of Isolation and Despair in Ernest Hemmingway’s "A Clean Well-Lighted Place" and
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s "The Yellow Wallpaper"
Ernest Hemingway’s and Gilman’s short stories both present themes of isolation and despair, offering different takes on the human condition. By exploring the themes that these narratives present, we can gain an understanding of what drives the human psyche. These authors
use different literary elements to deliver different messages entrenched within their stories. The authors present the personal experiences of the stories’ characters and the broader societal implications by skillfully utilizing literary elements including symbolism, imagery, as well as character development to prompt readers to reflect on the significance of expectations of society on psychological well-being.
In "A Clean Well-Lighted Place" isolation is used as a symbol of deeper societal existential aloneness. For example, the search of the old man for sanctuary within the café is an indication of the human search for solace within the world's gloom. Within this short story, the waiter's assertion that "An old man is (a) nasty thing" clearly reflects the inclination of individuals in society to deprecate those that they think do not conform to conventional norms (Hemingway 2). In this particular story, the waiter considers the old man who comes to the café as who must be isolated. This isolation is not just restricted to these story’s characters; rather, it is a reflection of what does happen in the external world. For example, while conducting
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research among the elderly in Hong Kong, sociologists Anna Wong et al. found out that many elderly people face isolation since “They f
elt that they had outgrown their place, since neither its function nor usability had caught up with their aging process” (824). This is particularly poignant since these people’s failing health and lack of productivity may make them feel worthless. This research shows the inclination in the community to marginalize and discriminate against people who do not fall into the scheme of societal ideals. Indeed, Hemingway's account is just a microcosm of society at large, urging his audiences to consider the magnitudes of societal judgments on the individual’s sense of belonging and connection.
Another broader symbolism occurs in "The Yellow Wallpaper," when Gilman presents despair from a woman who faces postpartum depression. The character’s husband has allegedly left the woman in a room, and she spirals into episodes of madness, and only the wallpaper represents he worsening mental state. The narrator's claim that "The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out" shows what the woman goes through when she is bound by the expectations of society (Gilman 4). Thus despair in this short story is not just
a subject of the short stories but a component of societal conditions and expectations. Academic studies provide empirical evidence that societal restrictions often result in despair and mental health predicaments. Particularly, gender roles within society could be a cause of this despair and
isolation; for instance, stereotypes regarding gender in workplaces end up making “Women self-
silence their views and opinions in group meetings, leading to organizational ignorance” (Maji and Dixit 1504). In the case of this story, the character who is a woman ends up being silenced to
the brink of madness. This short story compels readers to reconsider the larger effects that societal expectations can have on one’s mental well-being, calling for one to deliberate of the bearing of old-style gender norms.
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Hemingway, on the other hand, also uses images and symbols to discover isolation and despair. He achieves this symbolism through his contrast of light and darkness within the restaurant to create a poignant representation of the old man’s search for protection from the harsh truths of life. The character searches for quietude in the well-lit environment, where he represents the human struggle against the harrowing darkness of life. The symbolism and imagery the author utilizes elevate the narrative beyond merely personal experiences to a broader
discussion of the human condition. The café as a sanctuary is a narrative element and a representation of what happens in society. Studies point to the role of places in overcoming isolation and despair among individuals. For instance, Victor Counted states that the environment that on is in could mediate a sense of comfort: "People relate to place as an object of attachment, forming a symbolic connection to their environment due to its anthropomorphic attributes” (277). Thus, the spaces that one occupies could contribute to their mental well-being, an consequently lead to their solace and respite. Hemingway's symbols, thus elaborate the literary deepness of the short story and conform with empirical evidence, drawing readers to think about the more profound societal relevance of spaces that either nurture or constrain human
connection.
Similarly, Gilman in "The Yellow Wallpaper" uses symbols to demonstrate the victim’s despair. Indeed, the yellow wallpaper elaborately represents societal constraints that confine the protagonist, reflecting her failing mental state. The woman’s attention to the wallpaper's pattern metaphorically represents her entrapment within societal outlooks, causing her deep despair. Gilman's images transfigure the narrative into a complex take of the individual's negotiation against societal norms. The wallpaper's symbolism is not merely narrow this story; they reverberates with everyday issues. For example, researchers Deng Li et al. emphasize the
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significant impact of one’s environment as well as visual stimuli on mental health, demonstrating
that “vision plays a dominant role in perceived experiences” (2). In this story, the careful yet confining wallpaper pattern acts as a visual imagery of constricting societal expectations. By combining empirical evidence and symbolism found in this story, Gilman helps readers to think fast about the implications of visual stimuli in society and the different ways that they either elevate or undermine the psyche of humans.
These short stories are not just works of fiction, they represent the inner workings of the human mind when faced with isolation. We can examine isolation and despair in these stories to understand the writers’ varied understanding of the complications within societal expectations. The authors have made use of symbols, images, and the development of characters to provide their readers with an understanding of the individual’s mind. The isolation and despair presented in these narratives gives readers a chance to consider their roles in reality. This way, we can have
empathy for the struggling characters and gain perspective on the structures that could cause such struggles in society. Through looking at empirical studies by academics and stories like these two, we can bridge the gap that can exist between literary texts and the real world, creating an engagement at a personal and societal level. Hemingway and Gilman’s stories thus pushes people to think about societal expectations in terms of gender and age, paving the way for a deeper contemplation o literature and the human experience.
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Works Cited
Deng, Li, et al. "Effects of integration between visual and auditory stimuli on restorative potential and aesthetic preference in urban green spaces."
Urban Forestry & Urban Greening
53 (2020): 126702. Gilman, Charlotte Perkins. "The Yellow Wallpaper." The Yellow Wallpaper and Other Stories, Dover Publications, 1997, pp. 1-20. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/1952
Hemingway, Ernest. "A Clean Well-Lighted Place." The Complete Short Stories of Ernest Hemingway, Scribner, 1987, pp. 356-359. https://yale.learningu.org/download/51358dbc-
0c73-4e33-8cfb-967c55a621f5/H2976_Hemingway_A%20Clean%20Well%20Lighted
%20Place.pdf
Maji, Sucharita, and Shikha Dixit. "Exploring self-silencing in workplace relationships: A qualitative study of female software engineers."
The Qualitative Report
25.6 (2020): 1505-1525. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sucharita-Maji/publication/342013494_Exploring_S
elf-
Silencing_in_Workplace_Relationships_A_Qualitative_Study_of_Female_Software_Eng
ineers/links/5ee30a6e92851ce9e7dcc3f9/Exploring-Self-Silencing-in-Workplace-
Relationships-A-Qualitative-Study-of-Female-Software-Engineers.pdf
Wong, Anna, et al. "Illuminating the psychological experience of elderly loneliness from a societal perspective: A qualitative study of alienation between older people and society."
International journal of environmental research and public health
14.7 (2017): 824. https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/14/7/824
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