The Relation Between Alienation And Bullying

When society thinks of the word alienation there is immediately an adverse connotation associated with it. However, alienation is not always negative though society perceives it to be. In fact in the case of self administered alienation, it can provide one with a sense of protection and security. By definition alienation is “the state or experience of being isolated from a group or an activity to which one should belong or in which one should be involved” (Oxford Dictionary). At first glance, the definition immediately shows us society’s limiting views on the term, and the assumption that all alienation is negative. Another, assumption about alienation created by society is that it is inflicted as a form of isolation or in modern examples a

In many cases, it has morphed into the same concept. The common version of alienation can lead to isolation or can be inflicted through isolation. According to the definition provided above, alienation is inflicted by others. A prevalent example of society’s version of alienation in bullying. Obviously, all can agree that bullying is negative and can inflict emotional and physical pain on the subject. The only form of alienation most people are exposed to is the kind which is a direct result to bullying or which causes pain. Thus some say alienation is always negative with painful aftermath. And, if one only looks at alienation by society's definition, it becomes very hard to disagree with this statement. After all, no one wants to advocate for something with negative results and something that brings pain. Presupposition is the reason why one must look beyond societal presumption and formulate a new definition. Alienation can provide protection and security, in order to understand, one can look to examples in the novel Ellen Foster, written by Kaye

She is not afraid of being herself, not the one who is controlled by her dad or society, but who she truly is inside; Ellen Foster. She is not afraid of what others think of her, and by alienating herself from their comments or even her thoughts about their harsh words spares her from further emotional pain. “Yeah old Ellen runs up and down the road with her little nigger friend they might say. Yeah old Ellen is always bothering so-and-so to give her a ride home from the grocery store...But as odd as I think it sounds I feel in my bones like I am on the right track.” (Gibbons 75). She refuses to let the judgement of society define her, she doesn’t care what they think of her asking for rides, all she knows is that in her “bones she’s on the right track”, and that self confidence is all she needs. “I knew my mama’s mama was having her usual big turkey dinner that night but that was OK because I had turkey sliced up with dressing along with...vegetables...” (Gibbons 27). Even though her grandmother unfairly excludes her from family activities, Ellen is able to isolate and alienate herself from those thought and does not let the animosity from her grandmother affect her plans for life. Thus alienation from her thoughts shields and protects Ellen from emotional pain and