"Loneliness"

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses Sherwood Anderson's novel entitled "Winesburg, Ohio", a collection of short stories depicting an individual's life in Ohio and how this character confronts the issue that he or she encounters. It looks at how one particular story that reflects and demonstrates effectively the author's depiction of rural life is in "Loneliness," the story of Enoch Robinson and how he lived in his life in total "loneliness" from childhood until his later life. It analyzes the three sub-themes within the theme of loneliness that can be found in "Loneliness", the conflict between modernism and traditionalism, the thin line between reality and imagination in the thoughts and behavior of the main character and the conflict between conformity/conventionalism and non-conformity/conventionalism. It relates these conflicts into the primary theme of loneliness in the story and to incorporate these themes in accordance to the author's depiction of the theme of "Loneliness" in "Winesburg, Ohio."

From the Paper:

"The first theme that is evident in "Loneliness" is the difference and conflict between modernism and traditionalism, which happens when Enoch seeks to educate himself in the modern city of New York as he plans to be a popular and acclaimed artist. Traditionalism is shown in his life in Ohio, wherein Enoch is described as a quiet but intelligent boy who is too preoccupied with his studies that it sometimes leads him to personal trouble. Traditional life in "Loneliness" is illustrated as follows: "Enoch lived in the house with his mother in those days and when he was a young boy went to school at the Winesburg High School. Old citizens remembered him as a quiet, smiling youth inclined to silence. He walked in the middle of the road when he came into town and sometimes read a book." "

More papers on "Loneliness":

• Analytical Essay # 2805 : "Loneliness in "Of Mice and Men"
• Book Review # 102304 : "Loneliness in 'Of Mice and Men'"
• Analytical Essay # 8815 : "The Long Loneliness"

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