Solitude, Isolation And Loneli Essay, Research Paper

Solitude, Isolation and Loneliness

Solitude, isolation, and loneliness are enormously powerful and most often overwhelming feelings. They possess the ability to cause great pain and suffering or personal triumph. Solitude is defined as the state of being solitary, or alone; seclusion, isolation, or remoteness, and listed as a synonym is isolation (Webster s`.). Loneliness means to be alone or solitary, to stand apart from others, isolated (Webster s). Solitude, isolation, and loneliness seem, on the surface, to be one and the same but it is a bit wrong to equate them without first examining their various connotations.

Solitude is a self-imposed isolation that often brings positive and renewing feelings. It generates a sense of solitariness that is both creative and motivating. For me solitude can only be explained as heaven. I have never been lonely because I not only enjoy solitude but I seek it out when ever possible so I guess that makes me a solitudinarian; one who seeks solitude (American Heritage). In plainer words, I am a loner. True, loneliness can be dangerous, but solitude, a chosen loneliness, can be valuable.

Isolate means to set apart from others, to place alone (Webster s). I perceive this to mean that it is a form of forced separation from other people resulting in an aloneness or solitude. Isolation exists or occurs in many forms and generally effects everyone in one of the two following ways. When a person has been isolated for a long period, It can make him stronger and become his ally or it can overwhelm him and make him weaker. A good example of isolation would be what was done to the two Davis boys. Those two poor things had been isolated from the world for most of their lives.

Webster s defines loneliness as a feeling you experience when alone or isolated. To me loneliness is not simply a matter of being alone, but rather the feeling that no one really cares what happens to you. Loneliness brings a feeling of desolation and depression that can be destructive; it tends to stifle both hope and ambition. It is not necessarily caused by a set of circumstances; it is more a state of mind. Those who are often alone, however, are not necessarily lonely, as solitude can be a personal choice.

So, though solitude, isolation and loneliness do sometimes converge into each other, they each have a separate meaning. Solitude means not being in the company of others, mostly by ones choice, and isolation means unwanted separation from others. Loneliness denotes the absence of personal intimacy. Both isolation and loneliness are involuntary solitude.

Works Cited

Solitude. The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed. Boston:

Houghton Mifflin, 2000. www.bartleby.com/61/6/S0550600.html. (14 Feb. 2001).

Solitude. Merriam-Webster s OnLine: Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed. Merriam-

Webster, Incorporated, 2000. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary.html.

(8 Oct. 2000).

Loneliness. Merriam-Webster s OnLine: Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed. Merriam-

Webster, Incorporated, 2000. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary.html.

(8 Oct. 2000).

Isolate. Merriam-Webster s OnLine: Collegiate Dictionary, 10th ed. Merriam-

Webster, Incorporated, 2000. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary.html.

(8 Oct. 2000).