The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter - Part III

As the novel closes, Biff felt "he was suspended between radiance and darkness.  Between bitter irony and faith.  Sharply he turned away" (McCullers 359).  What is McCullers purpose or rather what is McCullers saying about Biff or even all the other characters in this line? 
Look at each of the four chapters of Part III where each of the four visitors of Singer are described.  Mick, for instance, seems to be stagnant--she admits that "some good" was left in her, but "no music was in her mind" (353-354).  Then Jack who participates in a fight, "the dead were Jimmy Macy and Lancy Davis" (346).  He seems angry, haunted with "the old terror that always came as he awakened" from nightmares, but at the same time he feels "there was hope in him" (350).  How can that be?  And of course Dr. Copeland, who is off to Grandpapa's senses "the fire in him and could not be stilled"...there is radiance, but darkness as well (336).  He felt right at the beginning of the chapter that "neither truth nor purpose [were] in his thoughts" (329).  These are just some of the instances where I see these characters living in between 'radiance and darkness'.  Were they living this way from the start of the novel, did Singer's death exasperate their pain, or help them to move forward in their lives?

Part Three: The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter

Throughout the novel, we have seen Singer's lasting effect on Copeland, Mick, and Blount.  We have also discussed how Biff is in many ways, a symbol of the reader.  In parts 1 and 2, there has been subtle hints at some illusive qualities about Singer, almost as if he was not entirely real.  In part 3, much is learned about Singer's effect on his three "followers" so-to-say.  Each character concludes their chapters with some sort of solitary relief.  For Copeland, "the words in his heart grew big and they would not be silent" But the old maN had ceased to listen and thEre was no one to hear him"(336).  Blount decides to venture on his own where "there was hope in him, and soon herhaps the outline of his journey would take form" (350).  Mick feels that "it had to be some good if anything made sense...it was some good" (354).  All of these characters felt extreme depression and hopelessness once Singer had died, but now, they are moving along with optimism. Could there be any speculation that Singer is in some way related to God? In chapter 4, Biff says that "God knows where they came from or why they were there" (358). However, this applies strictly to Singer as well.  He was the only one who knew why each person was so affeced by his death, for he was the only one who understood their attachment to him. How do other examples or references show this? (The idea that the three acted like followers of Singer and sought him out for internal, sometimes spiritual advice, for instance) Is this claim refuted by anything else? Feel free to expand or narrow any of the these questions!

THLIAH Part III

In Part III, we see all of the character's reactions to Singer's death and how Singer's death affects them all within the course of one day. With each change in perspective (or chapter), McCullers includes a time frame going starting with Copeland in the "morning" moving to Jake in the "afternoon",  Mick in the "evening", and ending with Biff at "night". What is the significance of McCullers providing a time frame as part of the setting/scene? How does this change or add to the portrayal of each of the characters, if at all?

Additionally, it seems to me that for each of these characters, the death of Singer represents the death of the possibility of expressing their identities that they "ha[ve] always  kept to [themselves] and no person had ever known", other than Singer (52). For example, Copeland "wanted to sit up and speak in a loud voice -- yet when he tried to raise himself he could not find the strength" (336) despite the fact that he could tell the "truth" to Singer, and could speak in a loud voice (like when he gave that sermon in Singer's presence). Likewise, Mick's "inside room was locked somewhere away from her ...[and] it was like she was cheated"(353-354). It is interesting because with Singer's death, Singer would have to disappear in both her rooms- the outside(representing her self in society) and the inside (representing her self as an individual). However, if Mick's inside room is "locked", do you think Singer still exists in Mick's inside room? What does this say about Singer influence? Jake even says that "he remembered all the innermost thoughts that he had told to Singer and with his death it seemed to him that they were lost" (341).

In fact, it seems to me that the characters have just picked off living their life, from when Singer had "interrupted" them by entering Biff's cafe. What does this say about the nature of the characters? Furthermore, what do you think McCullers is trying to communicate about human nature through her characters?

I know I wrote a lot but they were just my thoughts as I was reading so you don't have to respond to everything :)

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Today in class, my group and I analyzed Biff's position in the novel. In part II, this character especially seems to become more emotionally detached from the characters around him. When Biff's wife dies, he pays little attention to her passing, much to the contrary of Singer, who is distraught for weeks on end after Antanopolis leaves.

Although Biff does seem to be detached from characters such as Alice, he remains one of the most observant characters in the novel. He is objective in the fact that he does not form rash opinions about the other characters, as Jake is not just the "drunk" and singer not just "the mute."

Through Biff's physical isolation, he becomes an outsider, and learns about each of the characters on the sidelnes. (Just like the readers.)

Biff also seems to be the central connection between all characters, as they all meet through his diner,or have connections with it.

Why would Carson Mccullers chose Biff to be the central connection between the characters? How does this relate to Biff's perspective? Would you agree that Biff's perspective is that of the readers?

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Part 2

Chapter 7 is one of the first instances that we as readers view Singer's emotional struggles. Singer discusses his nostalgia of his time spent with Antonapoulis:

"His eyes were fixed on a window on the right side of the second story. This was their front room, and behind was the big kitchen where Ant. had cooked all their meals ... He thought of them going out together in the morning and coming home at night. There was the broken place in the pavement where Ant. had stumbled once and hurt his elbow. There was the mailbox where their bill from the light company came each month. He could feel the warm touch of his friend's arm against his fingers" (206-207).

Throughout the novel, Mick, Copeland, Biff, and Blount all go to Singer to discuss their lives. They use him as an outlet for their loneliness, as a way of coping with their emotional pain. Talking to these people becomes a way for Singer to cope with his own loneliness: "It was better to be with any person than to be too long alone" (205). However, his loneliness is not fully subsided; he still grieves with the pain of separation from Ant. He writes to Ant. and calls him "my only friend" (213). How is Singer different from the other characters in his ability (or perhaps inability) to cope with loneliness and isolation? How does this foreshadow the end of part 2, when Singer "brought out a pistol from his pocket and put a bullet in his chest" (326)? Why does McCullers choose to leave out so much about Singer's emotions until now?

Also note Singer's comment about his hands: "They would not rest. They twitched in his sleep, and sometimes he awoke to find them shaping the words in his dreams before his face" (206). What is the significance of the fact that Singer's only method of communication is beginning to fail him?

Part Two Question

After reading section two, one thing that I have noticed is McCuller's deliberate use of light and dark. For each character, darkness and lightness represents a different feeling-whether it be uneasiness or the fact that they feel most at one with themselves in either the dark or the light. After tracing the use of dark and light in each character's section, ask yourself these questions: How does darkness verse lightness display the characters' feelings of isolation and those of solitude. How does lightness reveal something about the characters? How does darkness? Why does McCuller's purposely use light and dark to reveal certain aspects of her characters? How does this enhance the feeling of isolation?

Feel free to talk about any character, or multiple characters if need be.

Some pages in part two where darkness and lightness come up are:

pg. 101, 111, 119, 138, 143, 178, 181, 203, 213 etc.

There are many other references, seeing as this is quite a long part, however, here are just a few to get you started with the idea.

The Heart is a Lonely Hunter Part 1 Question

"They all made the same little hollow sounding ping" (McCullers 45), the characters we are following in this book are all very alone as we have seen in Part 1 and Amanda referenced in her question. They seek companionship in Singer but don't seem to be truly gaining anything. The act of confiding in him seems almost selfish and it appears even Singer notices that and doesn't feel the need to give any real help, "the man shook his head in a way that might have meant either yes or no" (56). They seem to talk to him as an escape from their regular life as Biff admits on page 15 he finds himself acting differently around other people. So, is using Singer as their silent therapist selfish? Are they gaining anything or growing as people by talking to him? If not do you predict that they will? Please find evidence from the text to support your answers.

Let's chat

I want to talk about two quotes that bring up the idea of isolation and loneliness.

The first is something that Biff comments on in his chapter. "He was thinking that in nearly every person there was some physical part kept always guarded" (29). This brings up the idea of a physical isolation. Mick also comments on emotional and mental isolation when she says, "Some things you naturally want to keep private. Not because they are bad, but because you just want them secret" (40).

How do physical and emotional loneliness or isolation relate in part one? What does McCullers say about loneliness or isolation? This is quite a large topic and there may not even be an answer yet, but I think it is the central idea of the novel (as evident by the title) and I want to have a discussion about it. You may choose to respond in any way you wish. If you interpreted loneliness a differently than me, what is your idea?

Through all of this, keep in mind the idea of John Singer. One of the key lines of the novel was the bible passage that Alice was reciting. "Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men... All men seek for Thee" (31). I thought that it was pretty clear that this passage was referring to Singer. And if that is true, how does it affect your ideas of loneliness in each of the characters that choose to visit Singer in his apartment?

Have they solved their loneliness by seeking out the deaf ear of John Singer? If Mick, Jake, and Copeland all feel less isolated after talking to Singer, a man who provides no response, is isolation or loneliness even the right word to describe their problem? Are they truly lonely or do they just need to vent? And are Mick, Jake, and Copeland similar in any way? Does Singer fill a gap that is present in each of their lives? What is this gap?

Whatever ideas or thoughts you have about this topic is great.

THIALH Part 1 Discussion

Of all the people who feel Singer understands “whatever they wanted to say to them. And maybe even more than that”, Dr. Copeland seems to have the most unique situation (McCullers 94).

Mick, Jake, and the Doctor seem to be united through their lack of place and identity. Mick is split into two selves-poverty and a childhood forfeited in order to do a mother’s work, and the high culture of classical music which she literally has to go to a richer part of town to even hear. Jake also is “two people” a mean-spirited drunk and “an educated man” who “[likes] words” and has been “in some of the biggest libraries in the country” (68). And then there is Dr. Copeland who rejects both black and white society and finds himself in a very lonely place in between. He has no pride in his own race, feeling he has to conquer his emotions, “the black feeling” unless it should “conquer him” (82). And even as an educated black man he knows he still cannot be accepted because of “the quiet insolence of the white race” (84). Dr. Copeland is something more than two selves, or perhaps, something less- maybe he feels he has no identity at all.

What point do you think McCullers is trying to make about identity, especially multiple identities? This is something that was also brought up in “The Mortgaged Heart”, which could be interesting to connect your ideas to.

Also, why do you think Dr. Copeland can tolerate Portia and not her brothers? Why can Portia tolerate her father unlike her brothers? Does he only think his children are failures or it does it also make him feel like a failure himself?

You don’t have to answer everything.

My Sister's Keeper Revisions

Blog Post

http://www.amazon.com/My-Sisters-Keeper-Jodi-Picoult/dp/0743454537/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1298746031&sr=8-1

Over break, I read My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.  While Jodi Picoult is normally regarded as an author directed towards females and who writes traditionally easier, less complex reads, My Sister’s Keeper does touch on very deep and complicated issues.  Having read the novel when I was in 6^th grade, I was unable to fully grasp all of the turmoil and depth that the novel contains, which is why I chose to re read it now, at nearly 17.  I had heard from many other people that the novel definitely conforms to the age of the reader, so I was curious to test out that statement.  I found that it did, in fact, give me more to think about, and I disregarded some of the shallower interpretations or feelings that I previously thought much about.  For example, the novel became less about the sadness, pain, and death that Leukemia brings and more about the morality and precious relationships between mother and daughter, father and daughter, sisters, and brother and sister.  I learned more about maturity in what appears to be just a child and I thought more about the craft and reason behind the significance of the ending.  With that said, I initially thought that the novel was just a “chick flick in a book”, just a “tear jerker” so to say, yet Picoult proves her literary merit by crafting a novel that appeals to all ages in all different ways, which illuminates different values and sentiments with age.

Especially after learning about rhetoric this year, rereading My Sister’s Keeper was an overall much more valuable experience.  In the end, Jesse, the troubled and quiet brother of the family narrates in succinct, stressed sentences.  He says, “It’s raining.  I go outside, and start walking.  I head down the street and past the elementary school and through two intersections.  I am soaked to the bone in about five minutes flat. That’s when I start to run” (401).  Before, I most likely did not pick up on his exact mood and relied more on the events of the novel rather than the style and emotion of it.  Also, I picked up on the parallel structures of the ending, for example, just as Jesse began his narration as “it’s raining” Sara, Anna, Brian, and Campbell did as well. Initially, I remember not understanding why they kept repeating this, but now it has a much greater and clearer meaning.