The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: Carson McCullers
- First Published: 1940
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Psychological realism
- Time of Work: The 1930’s
- Setting: A small Southern mill town
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction, Bildungsroman, Mythological literature, Parable
- Subjects: Maturation or coming of age, Adolescence, Homosexuality or homosexuals, Love or romance, Sex or sexuality, Suicide, South or Southerners, Music or musicians, Friendship, 1930’s, Mental illness, Obsession, Disabilities or physically challenged persons, Loneliness, Parties, Deafness or hearing-impaired persons
- Locales: South (U.S.)
Characters Discussed
John Singer, a tall, immaculate, soberly dressed mute who mysteriously attracts troubled people to him. He considers Mick pitiful, Jake crazy, Dr. Copeland noble, and Biff thoughtful; they are all welcome to visit or talk to him. Ironically, he himself longs to talk manually to his insane mute friend Spiros in the asylum but cannot penetrate Spiros’ apathy and craving for food. Singer shoots himself, leaving his other four friends variously affected by his death.
Mick Kelly, a gangling, adolescent girl always dressed in shorts, a shirt, and tennis...
[The entire page is 843 words long]
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