The most striking paradox of American society is the contrast between tight-knit communities and the outcasts that it depends upon to survive in a changing world. Winesburg Ohio, published by Sherwood Anderson in 1919 explores this paradox starting at the bottom — that’s, through the individual struggles of characters who feel isolated from their communities. Anderson shows the complexity and difficulty of estrangement by showing characters who are alienated by their own merits. Wing Biddlebaum, Jesse Bentley, and Enoch Roberts are all characterized by their unwavering guilt. They are further driven from Winesburg by the ostracism they experience, regardless of whether it is communal or self-imposed.
Kipling D. Williams (social psychologist) argues in Ostracism. The Power of Silence that the reasons for an individual’s alienation are often rooted in the peculiarities of the person they have ostracized. “Some people may have certain undesirable traits or behaving in a way that causes others to ostracize… Some people are elicited ostracism due to what they say or do” (58). Anderson’s characters definitely follow this model. However, more striking than the ability to make people ostracized is the ability of ostracism over time to form identity. Wing Biddlebaum’s first scene in “Hands” describes him as “walking up, down” nervously on the veranda his home at the outskirts Winesburg. This is a significant detail, as Wing was not comfortable in his home. Wing wasn’t at home with himself. Wing lived in Winesburg 20 years ago as a recluse. Only George Willard was his contact, and he became a friend. Wing was not a “part of the community” for twenty-years (9). For twenty-years, Wing suffered from guilt over a horrendous episode that left his “forever fearful and beset with a ghostly bandof doubts” (9).
Wing–then Adolph Meyers–was driven from a small Pennsylvania village to Winesburg. This was the moment that made him look sixty-five years old. The accusations made by one student led to the expulsion of the young teacher from school. This caused a “shiver” in the town and “hidden, dark doubts” that were in the minds of men about Adolph Meyers became “beliefs” (13). Under the disguise of Wing Biddlebaum as his new identity, the man fled to Winesburg and began to internalize the “shadowy doubts” that drove him. Wing, once passionately vivacious, began to feel guilty and self-doubt. “Wing was unable to understand the circumstances, but felt his fault.” (14).
Wing Biddlebaum’s story is one of hands. Their constant activity was like the beating of wings in a bird’s cage. He wanted to hide them away, and he looked at the silent, inexpressive fingers of others who drove sleepy cars on country roads or worked in the fields beside him (10).
Wing’s social isolation from Pennsylvania shaped his identity to the extent that he never re-emerged in Winesburg. Williams says that these targets are often “highly aware” of their own inadequacies. Wing’s constant self-doubt and nervous obsessions with his hands and social trepidation led to even more isolation from his peers. George Willard says, “There’s something wrong. But I don’t want it to be known.” “His hands had something to do his fear about me and all people” (12). Wing’s hands also played a significant role in why Winesburg didn’t understand Wing and why he couldn’t truly “belong” to the city.
Jesse Bentley was not like Wing. He was also not a part of his time. The narrator describes “[He] had a passion for religion” (49). “He was a man born of his time. He suffered and made others suffering” (49). Anderson speaks directly to Jesse’s isolation from Winesburg immediately after we meet him. This suggests that his social distance was a predominant part of his daily life. His fervent ambition and his ostracism would eventually become deeply intertwined.
Fate brought Jesse Bentley, an “odd shepherd”, to the top of his family’s farm. He faced endless scrutiny and doubt from the Winesburg community. This was not without cause. Jesse, then twenty-two, was “slight,” sensitive-looking, and “womanish” — a far cry form the brawn and brute force of his elder brothers. Jesse, by today’s standards, didn’t appear like a man (48). “The neighbors were amused when he was seen” (49).
Everybody in Winesburg was pleased that he returned to the farm after it had expanded to six hundred acres.
Jesse was plagued by the doubts and misgivings of his Winesburg neighbours. Jesse desired to bring on an era that would industrialize Mid-America. Jesse was motivated in large measure by the Winesburg community’s cynics. He wanted to change his identity and become an “extraordinary person.” This was the moment when the wedge was formed. Jesse started to see himself as fundamentally different from the men of Winesburg. He declared himself “a new type of man” and would lead a “new race” of men (52).
Jesse was so enthralled in his vision that he withdrew from the world and “everyone retired to the background”. (49). His father summoned him back to Winesburg and “he closed his eyes and began to plan… It wasn’t the indefinable desire within that made Jesse’s eyes wilting and that kept them ever more silent before others” (50). Jesse Bentley was so focused on the news that he was reading in magazines and newspapers, that he didn’t care much about the local affairs. “Something that looked like an invisible curtain seemed to have stood between him and the rest” (80). It was mutual. Jesse’s unique characteristics seem to have led to further segregation in the community, according to Williams’ theory. Williams uses the following traits to explain ostracism: “Insensitivity toward others,” “obnoxiousness,” “perceived as dangerousness” are some of them. It is possible that Jesse was expelled from Winesburg by Williams’s cosmopolitan mentality, despite not being explicitly stated.
Enoch Robinson was Enoch’s shield against his ambition. Jesse Bentley was Jesse’s curtain. The narrator explains that he was always a child, which was a handicap in his worldly development. “He didn’t grow up. He couldn’t understand people. People couldn’t understand him” (152). Enoch was simply unable to communicate with people. He was unable or willing to communicate with others, so his thoughts and feelings were almost exclusively about himself. Enoch lived in a small apartment with young urbanites, who shared a deep love for art. The artists watched and discussed Enoch’s paintings in his Washington Square home. These depicted scenes of pastoral scenes from Winesburg. Enoch remained quiet amid the banter. Enoch was unable to communicate with the artist and convinced that nobody would understand his meaning, so he became apathetic and stopped inviting people into his room. (154).
Enoch created a new social circle, reuniting with the people he couldn’t communicate with. Enoch spoke boldly, free from fear, in the company of his “shadow friends”. Enoch spoke for the first time ever (155). Enoch fantasized that he was both an orator and socialite in his deepest dreams. Enoch was left alone in the dark realities. Enoch married the woman he had studied with in art school. This allowed him to continue his social life. He felt satisfied for a while, as he considered himself a “real piece of everything” (156). However, this feeling was fleeting. Enoch never learned to be social in his solitude. Enoch was a self-deprecating egotist.
It happened one night. I was mad at her for not understanding me and wanting to let her know how important I was to that room. She needed to know how important I was. I repeated this to her repeatedly. I ran away and locked the doors. When she refused to leave, I was furious. I was extremely angry. It was beyond my comprehension. It was my desire for her to understand. But, you know what? I couldn’t allow her to. She would have all the answers, but I was afraid she would lose sight of me.
Enoch drove his wife from her apartment and out of his life. He also removed his shadow people from his life. Enoch returned from Winesburg alone, feeling defeated, lost and lonely. Enoch had a hard time building meaningful relationships with others and became less connected to the community. Enoch was terrified of being vulnerable and for many years he ostracized all those around him. Williams refers to this motive as “defensive” and says, “[A] source might deliberately ostracize an individual… preemptively [to protect against being harmed]” (47). Enoch was unable to socialize because of his self-imposed exclusion. Enoch was also rejected by society. Enoch Robinson would not accept that it was possible (152). Winesburg later refused to allow it.
Williams’ model is designed to “delineate and explain the effects of ostracism upon the individual or group being ostracized” (45). He concludes that continued exposures to ostracism can lead to “detrimental psychological effects,” similar to Anderson’s characters in Winesburg. Enoch, Jesse Bentley, Wing Biddlebaum and Jesse Bentley are all isolated socially and physically. It is a condition that society has both created and sustained. Williams explained this behavior using his model: “Instead attempting to regain their lost or threatened requirements, the target is likely to succumb to the needs of the lost and internalize that loss” (64).
We can see that ostracism is cyclical through Anderson’s experiences and Williams’s conclusions. A man’s initial alienation can lead to a host of other characteristics, which make him more distant from his community. The victims are self-stigmatized when they recognize the differences between themselves and “others”. Williams’ theory suggests that the victims become self-stigmatized when they see the difference between themselves and “others”. This is the tragedy and tragedy of ostracism. Their suffering is long-lasting and continues throughout their difficult lives. Their ostracism acts like an undertow pulling their farther from the sea.
Works citées
Anderson, Sherwood. Winesburg, Ohio. Bantam Books published in New York in 1995.
Williams, Kipling. Ostracism. The Guilford Press published London in 2001.