Isolation In Winesburg Ohio Essay Research Paper

Isolation In Winesburg Ohio Essay, Research Paper

In 1919, Sherwood Anderson composed his work Winesburg Ohio, which depicts the inner lives of small-town America. Anderson’s fascination to explore what’s beneath the surface of human lives results in another story in 1933 called “Death In The Woods”. These two works, incidentally, share a common theme of isolation. The characters in these works, are portrayed as “grotesques” or people who live their lives by one truth, thus living a life of falsehood and isolation from the rest of the world. This essay will examine the theme of isolation in the two works described, and will also relate it to Anderson’s idea of the “grotesque”.

In Winesburg Ohio, the reader is first introduced to “The Book of the Grotesque”. This introductory chapter, provides the reader with what might be considered a summary of the characters in the novel itself. The elderly writer, who has obviously seen and experienced a lot of the world’s turmoils, e.g. The Civil War , has been haunted by the faces of all the people he has ever known. The faces of these people are twisted and distorted, and ultimately appear “grotesque” to the elderly writer:

It was his notion that the moment one of the people took one of the

truths to himself, called it his truth, and tried to live his life by it,

he became a grotesque and the truth he embraced became a

falsehood.” (p.24).

In relation to the theme of isolation in this novel, Anderson uses this chapter to illustrate how the characters in the town of Winesburg should be perceived. Characters that are “grotesque” because they live their lives by a single “truth” that prevents them from

maturing, developing, and ultimately growing into what Anderson would consider “normal” (Fussell, p.111).

The novel itself is broken up into several short stories. These short stories are linked through the character of George Willard, who is essentially the main character. Because of this, Winesburg is considered a Bildungsroman, the character development of George “the artist” to George “the man”. His development occurs through his contact and dealing with the characters in the stories. Each character offers something new in his development, as in advice or wisdom. These “grotesques” rely on George to take notice of their isolation and falsehood, in hopes of George publishing their “truths”:

Each in turn comes forward to offer his secret (the material of art)

And to give up whatever fragmentary wisdom he may possess

Toward the development of the artist who will be the spokesman

For everyone.” (Fussell, p.111).

So, it is through these encounters with George that the reader is introduced to the strong sense of isolation and underdevelopment the characters possess.

The first example, is in the story “Hands”. Here, the character of Wing Biddlbaum is introduced, and right from the start, appears to have isolated himself from the rest of society. “Among all the people of Winesburg but one had come close to him.” (p.27). This one person, is of course George Willard, who is portrayed in this first story as a friend of Wing Biddlbaum. George is someone he can talk to, break free temporarily of

his isolation. In addition to talking openly with George enthusiastically, he also was very expressive and active with his hands when in the presence of George. In doing so, Wing is the first to approach George with the notion that there is more to the world than the town of Winesburg. He suggests George “forget all he has learned” (p.30) and pursue his dreams. Later, we learn of George’s wish to be a writer, and thus supporting the idea that each character is looking for a publisher for their individual piece of wisdom.

In addition to Wing’s isolation, the reader is also introduced to the first example of Anderson’s “grotesque”. Upon relating his individual piece of wisdom to George, Wing, who had placed his hands on George, realizes what he was doing and quickly runs away in embarrassment. Although George remains baffled, the reader learns of Wing’s involvement in being accused of caressing a boys student of his and being publicy humiliated because of it. This directly relates to Wing’s bizarre hand movements, and also to his running away scared when “caressing” George. It is through his hands that he can express his true “love of man”. This love for Wing can only be expressed with George and because of this, feels isolated and lonely when he isn’t around. This “hunger became again a part of his loneliness and his waiting” (p.33) and ultimately ends up making him “grotesque”.

Another important example illustrating these points in Winesburg Ohio, is the story of “Paper Pills”, the second story in the novel. Here, the reader is introduced to the character of Doctor Reefy, a lonely man who like Wing Biddlbaum, has isolated himself

from the day-to-day life of Winesburg. He has done so out of misery and depression from the death of his wife, to whom he was only married to for one winter to the next spring. Previous to her death, the doctor had the habit of scribbling his thoughts and feeling down on little bits of paper and then stuffing them in his shirt pocket to be saved. Upon his wife’s death, Dr. Reefy proceeds to isolate himself to his office to make a life of this. The reader is provided

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