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Frankenstein Social Isolation Essay

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Loneliness can stem from different places, yet the most harmful is that of social isolation. Humans are social creatures and require some sort of human interaction. Even the most introverted people will break under the deafening noise of silence. A 2018 Pew Research Center Survey “...found that 1 in 10 Americans feel lonely or isolated all or most of the time” (“Effects of Social Isolation on Mental Health”). Furthermore, the risks of being isolated socially “...are very similar in magnitude to that of obesity, smoking, [and] lack of access to care...” (Novotney). While isolation may not seem harmful on the surface, research shows the true effects it has on an individual. Shelley demonstrates this in Frankenstein with the creature, a science …show more content…

The creature specifically recounts the terror and hatred shown towards him by the people he encounters. Additionally, the creature begins to experience new feelings that he has never felt before and is frightened by them. As a result of his inability to process these newfound emotions and the unbridled terror from others, he isolates himself from society. He expresses how “[He] was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; [he] knew, and could distinguish, nothing; but [felt] pain invade [him] on all sides, [he] sat down and wept” (Shelley 63). This perfectly encapsulates how social isolation affects one’s mental stability. When an individual lacks emotional interaction and support, especially at such a vulnerable moment, “...they can become emotionally numb...” (“Effects of Social Isolation on Mental Health”). This is a psychological phenomenon that occurs when an individual’s mind is unable to process emotions. This is exactly what happens to the creature as he is flooded by the overwhelming feeling of pain, and he can no longer feel anything else but that. The creature later begins to understand these feelings, but the damage has been

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