essay

YiFan Feng 1232692

Due Wed. 6.10

Analytical Essay Rough Draft

People are social beings which is why they live in societies. However, each society has set standards upon which its members attach their identity. A member has to adhere to the set norms to have a socially acceptable identity. An individual is said to lack social identity if they go against the norms. Such individuals victimized and, socially isolated by the group. Several arguments have been developed shunning social isolation from different social backgrounds. Sylvia Plath and Zadie Smith are authors with personal and artistic understanding of the struggle to attain socially acceptable identity and how isolation comes into play if the latter is not achieved. Although inspired by different worlds, Plath and Smith thematically address the above notions in their works, each presenting their point of view. The paper will analyze works by the two authors in an attempt to understand how their perspectives pair.

Socially Acceptable Identity

Socially acceptable mental states are beliefs and motivations that emanate from a society guided by norms.  The norms define identity, which ultimately influences behavior. Society tends to escalate individuals who seem to adhere to the system and shaming those with a different opinion (Peterson 57). In such cases, the protagonist is always presented with a dilemma of choosing between being socially accepted or being left out. This seems to be the grounds from which Plath and Smith are drawing their perceptions about their varying worlds.

In her novel, Plath addresses the theme by exploring Esther’s struggles to foster her own identity and be herself as opposed to what others anticipate that she should be. Esther is relied upon to be a housewife and an independent lady, with no option for self-freedom. She is presented with a dilemma of choosing between following her dream to write or succumbing to the pressure exerted on her by society to settle down and get married. Despite all these achievements, people still assume that all she wanted is to start a family. The narrator is filled with anxiety regarding the future “I saw my life branching out before me like a green fig tree…. A wonderful future beckoned and winked…. One fig a happy home and another a famous poet.” (Ames 75). Unfortunately, she can only choose one, a submissive wife, or pursue her career and stay isolated and lonely.

Smith fits in Esther’s shoes in that being the protagonist in her essay “Generation Why” she has fallen victim to an emerging society and its norms. She explores the theme by presenting her perspective regarding Facebook and the lifestyle pursuit within the confines of Social media. Technology has given birth to a virtual world where social media platforms have been praised as a necessity, especially to the modern generation (‘2.0 people’). Smith, who considers herself a “1.0 person” explains that “I often worry that my idea of personhood is nostalgic, irrational, inaccurate. Perhaps Generation Facebook has built their virtual mansions in good faith, to house the People 2.0, and if I feel uncomfortable within them, it is because I am stuck at Person 1.0” (Myers para. 4). Smith speaks out her mind that she feels the lack of attributes within her that would facilitate proper assimilation with the 2.0 people. The latter means that she lacks the identity to be socially incorporated into the emerging world.

Social Isolation

When an individual does not profess to the beliefs and motivations attributed to socially acceptable mental states within certain confines, they are considered a misfit. When this happens then, isolation occurs, which could be self-isolation or the individual is isolated by the anticipated group (Peterson 49). The reality of the matter is that such isolations accrue consequences mostly bared by the isolated victim.

Esther feels isolated from the world around her due to the expectations placed upon her as a young lady living in American in the 1950s. Her narration depicts a soul that has suffered right from the beginning of her life journey. She is unencouraged to partake in occasions and doesn't feel happiness. Esther portrays her low mindset as sentiments of pity and tiredness and understands that she has not felt really glad since the age of 9 preceding her father's passing. Despite achieving great success in her academic life, Esther still feels inadequate and struggles to choose her future endeavors. Her feeling of isolation influences her to pursue a life of loneliness busy place recognized by others as a harbor of happiness.

Consequently, her pursuit of a lonely life comes with its costs. In the narration, Esther portrays how the feeling isolated frequently triggered thoughts of committing suicide. The latter further leads to deterioration of the protagonist’s mental health. There are traces of Esther's burdensome side effects beginning while she assistants at a New York magazine throughout her mid-year vacation. The terrible events in her life have cultivated a negative nature in her, and she is unable to perceive positivity in her world.  Her depressive state overwhelms her where she decides to terminate her life by taking a large overdose and ends up being hospitalized in a psychiatric facility.

Smith agrees with Plath’s notion that isolation has its dangers.  The author addresses themes, although from an illuminated point of view. She analytically speaks of the isolation that Facebook has created and the possible danger it poses to the so-called 2.0 people and the entire world as well. She starts by a critic of the social media platform describing it as “a film about 2.0 people made by 1.0 people”. She further describes Zuckerberg’s peculiar character as “Overprogrammed, furious, lonely” (Myers para 6). Her description claims are based on the allegations leveled against the founder that he screwed over his associates. Her notion is to emphasize her argument that Facebook is founded on isolation principles, which seems to be the continuous practice embraced by the platform even in serving its users.

To support her claim, Smith digs deeper into her analysis of the ‘movie’ (Facebook) and its essence to society. She then poses the question “Is it fulfilling our needs? Or are we reducing the needs we feel to convince ourselves that the software isn’t limited?” (Myers para 8). Smith explains to her audience the risks associated with the above move “When one becomes a data set on a website like Facebook, their Everything shrinks. Individual character. Friendships. Language. Sensibility” (Myers para 8). We are treated into thinking that we are being integrated into an all-purpose new world created by Facebook, but in reality, we are being lured to isolation. The virtual isolation will have dire consequences since the platform cares less about the quality of user connection, data flow quality, and the privacy of the permitted connections.

 

Works Cited：

Ames, Lois. "Sylvia Plath: A Biographical Note." The Bell Jar (1971): 1-135.

Myers, Courtney. "Zadie Smith's "Generation Why?" An Essay On The Social Network And Generation 2.0". The Next Web, 2020, https://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2010/11/09/zadie-smiths-generation-why-an-essay-on-the-social-network-and-generation-2-0/#:~:text=Smith%20recently%20wrote%20an%20essay,and%20the%20fuss%20it%20caused.

Peterson, Curtis N. "How Social Identity Influences Social and Emotional Loneliness." (2018).