Decay

This essay explores the emotional, physical, and sometimes deadly effects of sustained loneliness. Sparked by both a podcast exploring the photo series Possible Relatives by Tina Enghoff and the New York Times article The Lonely Death of George Bell, it weaves a narrative of a specific life with statistics, events, and studies on chronic loneliness. Through the use of a second person narrative, the essay builds a character who follows the process of death and decomposition as a result of prolonged, chronic loneliness, forcing the reader to experience the process in a highly personal way. In looking at loneliness from both pathos and logos perspectives, I hoped to intertwine the two into a narrative that encourages an emotional response supported by factual inquiry