The Lamp At Noon Character Analysis

Isolation is prevalent in the lives of many. If members of society are exposed to an excess of it, there can be short-lived and even sometimes long-lived consequences. Many authors, scientists, and professionals demonstrate these consequences within their writing, research, and discussions. More specifically, J. D. Salinger incorporates them through his protagonist Holden Caulfield, in his novel The Catcher in the Rye. Social psychiatrists and scientists prove these negative effects with studies on twin teenagers. Sinclair Ross bases the resolution of her short story, “The Lamp at Noon,” on these issues. Franz Kafka does this as well with his novella, “Metamorphosis,” and the National Seniors Council reports on these problems within senior …show more content…
Ellen, her husband, and their baby live on a desolate farm away from any family or community. Throughout the story, there is a harsh dust storm which affects Ellen as she cannot leave the house and her baby must remain protected under a cloth. During this time, the author foreshadows that Ellen is not well, until the resolution when this happens. “The child was quite cold… “Hold him.” She (Ellen) said as he (husband) knelt beside her. “So - with his (baby’s) face away from the wind. Hold him until I tidy my hair.” Her eyes were still wide in an immobile stare, but with her lips, she smiled at him” (Ross, 8). First of all, the cold child signifies that it was dead, unintentionally killed by its psychotic mother. Ellen’s insanity can be verified by the fact that she continues to talk to her husband as though nothing is wrong, even though they are outside in the middle of a dust storm. Furthermore, she does not know her child is dead and she continues to smile with fixed immobile eyes; these represent that she is not in a proper mental state. This proves isolation made Ellen mentally ill. As the author ended the story here, it cannot be determined if her deranged mindset is indefinite or not. Although, because of this and the deceased child, her own life and her husband’s life will be permanently damaged. In this …show more content…
Gregor is the main character in the novella, “Metamorphosis,” written by Franz Kafka. It starts as Gregor awakes one morning and finds himself transformed into a bug, in his apartment, where he lives with his parents and sister. His family initially did not how to react, but unfortunately, they end up forcing Gregor into isolation by locking him in his room, which he eventually accepts. Once Gregor and his family cannot live with his condition the following occurs, “ The decision that he must disappear was one that he held to even more strongly than his sister…until the tower clock struck three in the morning…Then his head sank to the floor of its own accord and from his nostrils came the last faint flicker of his breath” (Kafka 58). This validates the extreme isolation Gregor experienced from everyone, including his own humanity, which eventually led to his death, therefore permanently altering his life. If the family would have spent time with Gregor, learned to live with his change and took care of him, Gregor would be connected socially and it is probable he would still be alive. The social isolation that killed Gregor has similar effects on all people, including the oldest citizens in