To Kill a Mockingbird explores the theme of isolation in numerous ways, both in a social and prejudicial manner. Isolation occurs when an individual or group of people are singled out and segregated in this context. Maycomb as a county was highly prejudicial towards black people due to slavery, despite the abolition, the white population still had the ideology that they were superior, which causes them to isolate the black community.
One form of severe isolation, is the case of Arthur Radley, he is referred to as "Boo" throughout the novel which is often associated with phantoms, which are also outcast beings and cut out from the world. Boo is a social recluse due to prior events in his childhood, he has a child like mentality and is perpetually stuck in this mindset. This is a result of his isolation from the community. Maycomb refer to the Radley's as abnormal, due to the fact they keep their windows and doors shut. In turn this leads to Arthur being outcast and due to a lack of integration with society he doesn't mentally develop.
There are stories surrounding Boo, which build up a horrid persona, a malevolent phantom and the children begin to pick up on these. As a result they act peculiarly around the Radley house.
[Build this point up further?]Boo attempts to create a friendship between
himself and Jem and Scout by leaving presents in the hole in the tree. Each time they found a gift, Boo must have felt his relationship develop.
Until his father sealed the hole with cement. This
to me signifies the cut off to thr outside world, the hole in the tree was the door to social interaction.
[Very good, but a bit oddly phrased and very personally involved. You could pick up another mark here easily just by structure being stronger]Another major form of isolation
which occurred between groups of people was the split between the communities of black and white. [Drifting away from the novel.]The blacks had their own church deemed unworthy to attend with white folk, this display of prejudicial isolation is prominent throughout the novel, Tom's death was a tragic one. He represents one part of the
Mockingbird. Isolated. Convicted. Killed. A sin was committed. [Not liking the stylistic choice here, and it feels like Tom's death is just rammed in here in a discussion of the church. Try to say more about church maybe, and the spiritual signifigance explored in the novel 'All men equal in God's eyes'/hypocrisy, then move on to Tom]( I'm grasping at straws here )
One form of isolation that was
quite sad to see,
[It's usually more effective to make a point without it being personal. Imagine it was a debate on TSR, right now it's implied you're playing the role of 'Well I did this once so I know all about it' ] was that of Mayella Ewell, due to economical circumstances she was also outcast by society, her father, a raging alcoholic
(like ranbow ) was looked down upon. As a result, Mayella must have felt inferior to society too.
We see the extent as to which she felt isolated due to her approaching Tom in such a way. She'd sink so "low" as to lust for a black man, to feel wanted, a part of something.
[Was her isolation necessary for her to escape the cultural constraints?]Isolation is quite a key feature in order to allow the reader to empathise with
character and engage.
In a way we also see Scout, the author being isolated from Jem as he grows up, this signifies that everyone was affected by a form of isolation, every single character. Whether it be due to social, economical or racial grounds, or even as a result of past actions.