In the novel, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers, one character is able to expose all the other characters’ loneliness from the grievances of being different. John Singer represents society’s demand to be heard and the trade of isolation for enlightenment through his acquaintances. The other characters, Dr. Copeland, a respected and educated African American doctor, Mick, a developing teenage girl, and Jake a drunken misfit illustrates individually their concerns based on the social issues occurring in the South during the 1940’s, such that of capitalism and racism. The Great Depression and the rise of Communism interjected in the lives of these characters leading to the conclusion that “all individuals are lonely hunters — …show more content…
Silent is deadly and it restricts and contains people’s discontent. Through all the character’s connection to Mr. Singer, McCullers is able to provide her audience with a sense of companion for these characters. McCullers emphasizes the economic and social injustices by replicating it through her characters such that Mr. Singer is the only person that is willing to listen, although he is deaf. McCullers’ use of the gothic convention of isolation to bring forth the corruption upon human society. Although “Southern Gothic thrives on the theme of deformity” it definitely displays how McCullers opinions are expressed about the South (Marshall 13). Mr. Singer represents society, he is willing to listen but he is incapable of hearing, this replicates the need for …show more content…
She had to stop her music lessons due to the cutbacks on the money she was receiving from her family. We can see the Depression affecting the Kelly family and influencing the people’s choices on their life goals and job choices. Mick had realized that “A boy has a better advantage like that than a girl… a boy can usually get some part-time job that don’t take him out of school and leaves him for other things” (McCullers 246). The South does not leave room for freedom, one must worry about conformity and making enough money to feed the family. As for Mr. Singer he is the only one capable of acknowledging Mick’s confinement. She mentions that, “ For some reason it was like they had a secret together. Or like they waited to tell each other things that have never been said before. He was the only person in the inside room” (McCullers 241). Although Mr. Singer does not really show his opinions, his silence emphasizes the corruption that each character fights among society because it gives them a chance to express their problems through their words. McCullers uses Singer to bring out the wrongs that she sees in the South. Singer is able to bring comfort to Mick since he is the only one allowed to enter her inside room, she is able to trust him because his demeanor is