The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is about the different problems and struggles of 5 people, John Singer, Mick, Dr Copeland, Biff Brannon and Blount, in America in the 1930s. In the novel, McCullers represents the characters Dr Copeland and Jake Blount as unique figures due to their individual opinions that conflict with society’s views. During the 1930s in America, there was ongoing racism against the African- American population. Doctor Copeland, an African American, has high expectations for his children and strongly believes that the black population needs education and needs to acknowledge their rights.
When he is listening to his family members and their ignorance of the true oppression of black people, he “felt the old… anger in him. The words rose inchoately to his throat and he could not speak them. ” The desperate tone that is applied to this passage emphasizes the difference in opinion between him and his society. The 1930s saw the great depression and the failing of the capitalist society. Jake Blount expresses his strong Marxist views only to be ridiculed, and this almost drives him to a state of madness. Because of his conflicting views, he becomes “a stranger in a strange land”.
His repetition of the word “strange” and a hyperbolic notion of his difference shows the extent to which he abides by his opinions. Therefore, McCullers represents her character as unique through their opinions that are not accepted in society. The protagonists of The Heart is A Lonely Hunterare unique as they each create their own sense of identity within society. The characters have an individual and distinct drive or obsession that they merge with their identity. Mickis devoted to music and shapes her world around it. McCullers defines “music as her… the real plain her… the whole world was this symphony”.
The Essay on How Far, In Your Society, Should Unpopular Views Be Open For Discussion?
In May 2013, Singapore’s media regulator, the Media Development Authority (MDA), introduce a new licensing framework regulating online news sites operating in Singapore. The move came as a surprise to many and elicited a wide array of responses. The Asia Internet Coalition (AIC), an industry association formed by eBay, Facebook, Google and Yahoo, argued that the new regulatory framework creates ...
The repetition of the world “her” emphasizes the close connection Mick has with music. The hyperbole used with “the whole world” further indicates the extent of Mick’s value of music. This returns to this protagonist’s portrayal as a unique character. Dr Copeland’s dreams of educating the African-American population drive him to define his unique self in this way. “The joy made him feel like a drunken man… to teach and exhort and explain to his people” The use of “his people” connotes Dr Copeland’s sense of ownership and responsibility towards his race.
The simile relates him to “a drunken man”, implying his illusion of being in a dreamlike state where his innermost desires are fulfilled. These lead to the understanding that Doctor Copeland indeed incorporates his unique obsession with his self. In this way, McCullers represents her protagonists as unique due to their own distinct identities. McCullers also presents her characters as sharing an underlying humanity through their natural need for company and relationships. Psychoanalytically, McCullers refers to Jung’s theory of the interconnectedness of humanity.
The five major characters in the novel all share the longing for companionship. John Singer, a deaf and mute man, becomes the sole companion to each of his four acquaintances even though he never speaks and they know nothing of his personal life. Their relationship with John Singer symbolises their desperate attempts at being heard and understood as would any human being subject to loneliness. As Singer is a mute, the other characters project their opinion of an ideal friend onto Singer- one who has time to listen, understand and most importantly agree with their opinions.
For two days now I been talking to you in my mind because I know you understand the things I want to mean” His long monologue and ridiculously generalised conception of Singer for the sole purpose of his satisfaction reflects the common human desire to be happy. This returns to McCullers representation of the common humanity between people through her characters. McCullers situates her protagonists within a fundamental humanity through her depiction of their natural behaviour. This employs Freud’s theory of the oceanic feeling and the undifferentiated self.
The Term Paper on Humanities of Hamlet
The humanities, like most academic disciplines, face questions of popular and public perception. The sciences, for instance, increasingly attract challenges, sometimes of dubious validity, from passionate advocates of so-called ‘deep ecology’ outside the academy, and from postmodern science studies within it. Educationists worldwide face growing discontent with the quality and character of public ...
Biff’s insight into the true nature of the event throughout the novel leads up to his declaration of “an endless fluid passage of humanity through endless time”. Here the author uses the “fluid” movement of humanity to draw allusions to Freud’s theory and therefore suggest the interconnectedness of humanity through our common behaviours. The author depicts the ordinary behaviour of the characters. Doctor Copeland act as a parent to his children and in turn, his children are dependant and in need of parental support. This related to Eric Berne’s transactional analysis of the parent, adult and child.
When William commits an offense, he is described as a “ bad boy and… got himself in mighty bad trouble. And us got to do something. ” The implication that William is a little boy contrasts with the fact that he clearly is not. This highlights the common relationship between parent and child, draws allusions to Berne and returns to McCullers portrayal of a linked humanity. In The Heart is A Lonely Hunter, McCullers displays her characters as unique due to their formation of identity and conflict with their society, but as also part of a general humanity.
