Existential Disconnection in Urban Settings

Read the following excerpt from a novel by a prominent 20th-century author. In a well-organized essay, analyze how the author uses specific literary techniques to enhance the theme of existential disconnection. In your response, make sure to include evidence from the text, including direct quotations and detailed analysis of their significance in relation to the overall theme.

Excerpt:

“The city was a labyrinthine blur of bustling bodies and unrelenting noise, yet he felt a sinking isolation in the midst of it all. The laughter of strangers ebbed around him like the tide, tantalizing and just out of reach, a reminder of the connections he could never truly grasp.”