Alienation?

Question

For a grade 12 English project, I've selected Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi as my major work. Basing my essay on the theme of alienation, I've selected The Dead by James Joyce as a minor work. I still need one more minor work for my project (short story, poem, contemporary media article, etc). I was considering Heart of Darkness from what I read online but we aren't allowed novellas.
All help appreciated!!!

Answer 1

Try "Paul's Case" a short story by Willa Cather:

Alienation, as defined by the Webster's Dictionary, "is the act of estrangement or withdrawing affections" - www.dictionary.com. There are many factors that lead to the alienation of humans and alienation can take many forms, within a family or within society. When a person is considered 'different', they are pushed out of society and because of this become withdrawn and eventually find themselves even more abnormal. In the short story, "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather, the main character Paul struggles with societies limited view of 'normal'. Paul is jaded by society; he does not fit in as an individual and therefore becomes a different person.

You can read it at the link below.

Or you could try The Metamorphosis" by Franz Kafka, in which the main character is SO alienated, he turns into a bug.

"Alienation: Before his metamorphosis, Gregor is alienated from his job, his humanity, his family, and even his body, as we see from the fact that he barely notices his transformation. In fact, even his consideration for his family seems to be something alien to him, as he barely notices it when he loses this consideration at the end. After his metamorphosis, Gregor feels completely alienated from his room and environment and, as a symbol of this, can't even see his street out the window. The Metamorphosis, then, is a powerful indictment of the alienation brought on by the modern social order."

"One morning, as Gregor Samsa was waking up from anxious dreams, he discovered that in bed he had been changed into a monstrous verminous bug. He lay on his armour-hard back and saw, as he lifted his head up a little, his brown, arched abdomen divided up into rigid bow-like sections. "

You can read that one at link 2

Answer 2

Jack P all green issues big or small need to be discussed and ideas challenged. I challenge you to quote your research or sources. I live in the UK and am female aged 41. I grow and use both my own food: plants and poultry. I have hunted and regularly collect wild plants. I used to shoot and used the rabbits, but I can no longer break the rifle as I smashed my wrists in an accident. I am not sure I would want to anymore. I can kill, gut, clean, pluck and butcher meat and cook it. I have been able to do so since childhood. Can you? No I didn't grow up in the countryside and no I am a not a tomboy I am a very womanly woman and very amply curvaceous. I understand your frustration and argument. It is too easy to buy a cling filmed packaged white meat without thinking and valuing the life that was extinguished to provide it. However, I think you are probably venting your spleen in the wrong Y/A section.

Answer 3

Edgar Allen Poe wrote poems.