Explore how isolation is used by the authors Hill and Golding in their respective novels?

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Explore How Isolation used by both authors?

One way in which Isolation is presented in through social isolation: it can be noted that Piggy is particularly a victim here. Golding states that the “naked crooks of [Piggy’s] knees were plump and that he was “shorter than the fair boy”.  From Piggy’s immediate introduction, he is already portrayed as an outsider, in comparison with the “fair boy” who symbolises the other islanders. Perhaps Golding’s use of the word “naked” is an implicit way of suggesting Piggy’s vulnerability which is what ultimately leads to Piggy being socially isolated.  An interesting instance of Piggy as a victim of social isolation is when he is forbidden to sit with the rest of the islanders; “Piggy sat expressionless behind the luminous wall of his myopia”- Golding is explicitly stating that Piggy is excluded because of his “myopia”, which is compared to a wall; the “luminous wall” represents a metaphorical wall between Piggy and the rest of society. Piggy himself appears to accept that he is not accepted by referring to the islanders as “them other kids”; the word “them” highlights this clear difference in social status between Piggy  and  the other islanders and hence why he is excluded.  One could argue that Golding is utilising social isolation to criticise British culture; as many were a victim of social prejudice when this book was published in the 1950s.

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This is comparable to the social isolation faced by Kingshaw in I’m the King of the Castle; which, like Piggy’s, is caused by Kingshaw being a member of the lower class. Hill immediately indicates Kingshaw lower class, upon his introduction describing the sky as “the colour of dirty sixpences” – I feel this is interesting on two notes, perhaps the six pence is an indication of Kinghaw’s lower class because a sixpence was of little value, or equally the “dirty colours” could be a form of pathetic fallacy, and hence a form of prolepsis beckoning for Kingshaw to suffer social ...

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