The Mark of Isolation in Adolescence Ashley Wilcox College

Adolescence marks a time for social interaction. Between school, sports and other activities, these social settings are the platform for peer groups to form and either accept a child or create an outcast. “The peer group has been defined as the constellation of associates of similar age and interest” (Lombardi 307). When a child is simply different, they fall outside of this constellation of interest, and therefore, fall outside of the peer group as well. Depending on the stage of development, “peer group influence can be a most significant factor,” ranging from their effect on academic performance to the development of emotional intelligence in youth (Lombardi 308). In Mark Haddon’s “the curious incident of the dog in the night-time”, Christopher Boone clearly differs from other youth, and his disinterest in associating with others is readily apparent as well. While Ender Wiggin from Orson Scott Card’s “Ender’s Game” also differs from other youth, he maintains an interest in forming bonds with others, and views them as useful for his personal development. This essay argues that even though both characters are isolated and considerable outcasts in their respective peer groups, in contrast to Ender Wiggins who despises his state...