Loneliness and Isolation in Different Media - Essay Example

Loneliness and Isolation in Different Media The themes of loneliness and isolation are very common in American literature and arts. The wide collection of literary pieces and visual arts attests to the human struggle against anguish caused by isolation and neglect. In particular, Mark Slaughter’s poem, titled, Lonely Life and Edward Hopper’s painting, Morning Sun vividly illustrate the American experience of misery and isolation. As the title implies, the theme of Lonely Life is loneliness. Slaughter makes this clear by using the word “loneliness” to introduce some lines of the poem, thus: Lonely on the land I walk,  Lonely cross the sea I sail,  Lonely air of beach I stroll –  This lonely life doth take its toll (1–4) Slaughter makes the meaning clear from the beginning through the end that the persona in the poem is lonely. He intensifies the feeling by repeating the word “loneliness” throughout the poem especially in the first two stanzas. He further emphasizes the theme using repetition of the word “loneliness” in the last four lines of the poem, thus Lonely years are now my friends,  Lonely cries bereft of sound,  Lonely tears that cool my face  In lonely life of sullen pace. (17–20) Note that the repetition effects to an alliteration and even to an exaggeration. In addition, as the lines of the poem highlight the theme of loneliness, they imply the idea of morbidity. Finding loneliness in everything that the persona sees in his surroundings, including the land, seas, etc., he expresses severity of his loneliness, thus making it appear as if he is under depression. In addition to the alliteration, Slaughter represents the feelings of the persona using his surroundings. He uses phrases with compound nouns beginning with “lonely” such as lonely trek, lonely mist, lonely spies, lonely circles, lonely tears, lonely cries, and lonely tears. He also adds compound nouns such as “coursing strife” and “flowing pain” to underscore the dilemma of the persona. Using images to represent feelings suggests Slaughter’s use of symbolism. The theme of loneliness is likewise expressed in Hopper‘s painting. The subject of this painting is a middle aged woman who sits alone, expressionless in a hotel, unmindful of the morning sun that shines through the room. A look at the woman’s face could lead the viewers to think that the woman is in a dilemma. The same feeling of gloom as emphasized by Slaughter’s persona can thus be noted. Notably, the title of the painting contradicts the gloomy atmosphere and feeling of the subject or the woman. The morning sun connotes liveliness, happiness, and hope. However, these positive ideas are not reflected in the facial expression and gesture of the woman in the painting. Instead, viewers will find a sad woman seated on her bed, looking at the window with a motionless expression. In addition, Hopper uses contrast between the woman’s expression and her clothes. The woman in the painting is wearing an orange shirt, which connotes the same liveliness that the morning sun brings. However, such feeling is not reflected in the woman’s face. Therefore, while Slaughter employs symbolism and reflects the feelings of his subject using objects in the surroundings, Hopper uses irony between the subject and the surroundings. The contrast between the woman’s facial expression and her clothes and the surroundings outside her window makes the painting interesting. It emphasizes the main point of the painter, that is, the façade that people bear in the West. As the painting implies, despite the pleasantries that surround the people, there exists loneliness, emptiness, and isolation. Using poetry to express the theme, Slaughter has a wider scope in terms of space. He mentions the land, sea, beach, and so on, to bring out the theme or the central emotion. In contrast, Hopper uses only a scene inside a hotel room. In view of this, one can note the extra effort of the poet to employ variety in his descriptions, whereas the painter presents his subject in a more focused and unified way. Hopper does not provide a view of the seas, mountains, and other elements in the surrounding yet he is able to capture the subject very well using visual images. Considering this, the impact that Hopper produces is more deeply felt than that made by Slaughter. Using a variety of elements to expound on his subject, Slaughter moves from one topic to another, thus suggesting movement in space and time. In the introduction, the readers will find the persona strolling along the beach, reflecting on his loneliness. Later, in the third stanza, readers may perceive that the persona has arrived his home or a place of shelter, as he thinks of having his “companions close” (11) and take his dinner and wine as expressed by the line, “wine would pair with diner’s dish” (12). Definitely, along with this movement in space is the movement in time. Further to the time between the beach scene and the dinner, the persona suggests a movement in time in the line, “lonely years are now my friends” (17). This line suggests a complete change in the time setting of the poem, from the time the persona walks along the beach and spends solitary times during his youth to a time when he recalls the years he spent in isolation. Such movement indicates the power of the poem to change settings and perspectives, which is not found in visual arts. In particular, Hopper’s painting is limited to a single scenario, the time when the woman sits on her bed, looking through the window. Unlike in Slaughter’s poem in which the author jumps from one time setting to another, the painting is limited to a single time and place. In this regard, the view and knowledge of the painter and even the audience on the subject is curtailed. For this reason, one may say that the power of words outstand the power of visual media. Nevertheless, the audience still has the last say as regards the impact of the two pieces of art. Some may find the poem more interesting, whereas others may find the painting more fascinating. Analysis of the two works illustrate the similarities and differences between the two works. Getting acquainted with these two works provides readers with the idea that despite their difference in medium, the two works show some similarity in theme and presentation. Basically, the two works deal with the same theme, the human experience of loneliness and isolation. As viewers can note, the two artists are able to present the same theme and they are able to completely capture the experience. However, the use of different media allows them to express their ideas in different depths and styles. Slaughter’s use of words in his poem allows him to move from one topic to another, whereas Hopper has a limited scope. Moreover, Slaughter is able to move from one setting to another, unlike Hopper whose subject is limited to one time and place. Despite these differences, Hopper’s work does not appear less interesting and imaginative because he is able to capture the total experience in a unified form and style. Works Cited Hopper, Edward. “Morning Sun.” Web. N.d. Web Museum, Paris. 5 December 2011. Slaughter, Mark. “Lonely Life.” Web. 2009. Poem Hunter. 5 December 2011. Read More