One of the most recurring themes in this novel is the theme of isolation. The main characters, Victor and the Monster suffer prolonged isolation in the story which led to them making ill-advised decisions. When we are isolated from society, we are left with nothing but our thoughts and ambitions. With nobody to discuss, we tend to turn these mere thoughts into a false reality. With our ambitions taking ver we begin to build ourselves around them, and start to care less about what happens to others in our paths to achieving them.
Isolation in Frankenstein
In the novel “Frankenstein”, Victor’s isolation begins shortly after his mother’s passing. This was also when his obsession with the origin of life began, and he became very ambitious to find answers. In chapter 3 of volume 1, Victor said, “I threw myself into the chaise that was to convey me away and indulged in the most melancholy reflections. I, who had ever been surrounded by amiable companions, continually engaged in endeavoring to bestow mutual pleasure-I was now alone. In the university whither I was going I must form my own friends and be my own protector”(Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 1823). This is the moment that Victor decided to block out everyone, he became his own friend and his own protector. This was when Victor’s mental state began to deteriorate. With no one to consult with him or to comfort him, he leads himself towards the horrible mistake of creating the monster. Victor’s isolation eventually evolves from being physical to him being totally isolated from the person he used to be. “Although I loved him with a mixture of affection and reverence that knew no bounds, yet I could never persuade myself to confide to him that event which was so often present to my recollection but which I feared the detail to another would impress more deeply” (Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 1823). Before creating the Monster, Victor was never scared to share his ideas and always spoke with confidence. When he made himself his “own friends” and became his “own protector” he made himself unable to speak to anyone else. The confident Victor we knew became constantly shy and very anxious.
Isolation in The Great Gatsby
Victor and the Monster are not the only characters in literature to suffer from isolation. Gatsby from “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald, was a man on a mission to win back the person he felt that he truly loved, Daisy. Gatsby was not born into his wealth, he worked for it through some illegal activities, but he did it all for Daisy, the one person he wanted to connect to. However, with nobody to consult with, he was isolated and stayed a mystery to most of the characters in the book. Jordan, a common attendee at Gatsby’s parties, said “I like large parties. They’re so intimate. At small parties there isn’t any privacy” (Scott, Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby. Page 54). The author used dialogue to indirectly refer to Gatsby’s isolation. Gatsby never has small gatherings and never lets anyone get close to him. This led to him making very rash decisions when he found the person to connect with. The only person that got close to him was Myrtle Wilson, a married woman. She and Gatsby had a sexual relationship, there wasn’t a deep connection between them, it was strictly physical. Therefore, Gatsby had nobody around him and had his mindset on Daisy. He became focused on the idea that she would fall head over heels for him when he became wealthy. In his time alone, Gatsby created a persona for himself and became a totally different person. Although he is a good-hearted, loyal, and determined man, the ambitions he built up during his isolation led to him murdering Myrtle in his attempt to run away with Daisy. Unfortunately for Gatsby, in his last moments, this crime caught up to him as Myrtle’s husband, George Wilson, breaks into his home and shoots him.
