Curtis Sittenfield's award-winning novel, Prep, and Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian illustrate the important theme of isolation in the life of an upcoming teenager. In Prep, the reader is taken on Lee Fiora's trauma-filled journey through a renowned institution known as Ault. In the novel, Lee endures many of life's challenges such as heartbreak, betrayal, and trying to fit in, all while trying to navigate and adapt to the alien environment of the institution. In Alexie's work, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the audience is taken through the story of a young Indian teenager named Junior who escapes the confines of his reservation by attending the predominantly white and affluent school off the reservation . In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Junior faces many of the same challenges as Lee, such as being part of a low-income family, losing friends and family, and trying to fit in. Both of these works gracefully demonstrate the difficulties and significance of isolation in the life of a young upcoming teenager. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Both novels do a good job of expressing the theme of isolation by introducing the obstacles of poverty and lower social class into the plot. In Sittenfield's, Prep, this is achieved through the various references to Lee's reliance on his scholarship and his family's lack of financial stability that he often thinks about. Lee continually feels a disconnect from his peers and embarrassment due to his financial situation. As stated by a University of Wisconsin professor, Valerie Laken, “She (Lee) has no social or financial resources to help her fit in among the sons and daughters of senators and bankers.” This also dictates that Lee experiences isolation between her and her peers due to her social status and lack of financial stability. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the depiction of poverty and lower-class status gives off a sense of isolation similar to that of Prep. In the story, Junior is a poor Indian boy who attends an affluent white school in hopes of a better education as a way to have a better life. The isolation due to poverty is shown at moments in the novel, such as when Junior repeatedly attempts to hide his poor past from his peers in Reardan; however, the truth is revealed later. One of Junior's denials regarding his lack of wealth can be found in the conversation between him and Penelope in chapter seventeen, where he specifically states that he could no longer lie to her when she asked him if he was poor. This denial of his true self can be seen as Junior's self-induced sense of isolation. As a result of adding the element of conflicting social classes and wealth, the audience gets an idea of ​​how and why the teenager might struggle with isolation, especially with those who might have greater financial stability. Similar to the previous paragraph, the two novels expose the theme of isolation by establishing the notion of division through discrimination of others. These actions alone can lead to feelings of isolation, because by discriminating against others, a line of demarcation is drawn between people. Additionally, race has been shown to have an effect on social relationships between groups of people (Omi and Winant 56). An example of this in Prep is the indirect mention of racism presented to Ault. In a short stretch of thenovel it is said that in the past no students of color attended Ault (Sittenfeld 190). Separating students by race could mean that although the school accepts students from other ethnic backgrounds, potential bias is still present within the institution's walls. In The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, prejudice towards others is shown throughout the novel and gives the audience a sense of isolation between Junior and those around him. An example of race playing a role in Junior's life is his mixed feelings of belonging to the Indians, as well as the white population of his school, which gives an explanation to the phrase "a part-time Indian". The divided feelings Junior experiences stem from both the students at his school and his friends and family at home. In chapter six, Junior asks his parents, "Who has the most hope?" Initially hesitant, his parents then respond with, “White people.” As his parents reinforce the notion of racial hierarchy, Junior is stuck in a limbo where he compares himself to others, particularly his white peers. Another example of Junior being discriminated against by others because of his background is the insensitive and racist comment made by Roger during Junior's career at Reardan. Although the comment is not reported here, Junior states that the slur was by far “the most racist thing I have ever heard in my life” (Alexie 64). All in all, it is safe to say that the theme of isolation as a result of discrimination is prominent in these two novels. Death and loss are powerful elements in life, especially in these novels. Following the loss of a loved one, victims may go through a phase of longing to recover the lost person, as well as feeling a heavy sense of hopelessness and hopelessness, which are symptoms of isolation (West 283). The novels, Prep and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, illustrate an element of isolation by including scenarios of death and relationship loss, both of which induce a sense of isolation in the victim. In Prep, Lee has multiple opportunities to break ties with friends and lovers; while Junior has cases with both, the loss of a friendship and dealing with the death of loved ones. In Prep, Lee develops various relationships throughout his time at Ault; however, many of them end in tragedy as the story continues. An example of Lee's difficulties occurs at the beginning of his freshman year, when Lee meets one of his dorm mates, Little Washington, and a friendly and trustworthy bond forms between the two. Following this, a recurrence of thefts occurred in his dormitory. Lee then comes home early one of the days and is greeted by Little going through her other roommate, Sin-Jun's, things. This led Lee to denounce Little and the loss of that friendship. Another example of loss that Lee experiences is with a fellow freshman at his school. Lee develops a significant crush on a freshman named Cross Sugarman after secretly spending several nights together. To the reader's surprise, this love is interrupted, as Cross loses interests and "leads" Lee. As a result of these events, along with many other similar events that have occurred, Lee displays symptoms of isolation and depression, while his grades and attitude plummet. That said, it's fair to say that Lee's experiences with loss and his reaction to those events exemplify the theme of isolation. In the entirely true diary of a part-time Indian, Junior is repeatedly faced with heavy family losses, as well as the loss of his childhood best friend, Rowdy, which causes Junior to feel isolated from others in Reardan. One of the events.