Sunday, March 13, 2011
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.
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I had considered the idea that it was unfair and rude for Mick, Jake, and Copeland to come to Singer's room so that they can vent uninterrupted, but by the end of the novel I did not think it was that bad. First, it does not seem that Singer does not like entertaining his guests. When people come to speak with him, "he was always thoughtful and composed" (94). I think that if he really dislike his company so much, he would have refused their entrance by now. But that just isn't in Singer's nature. He is a genuinely caring and thoughtful man. When Antonapoulos got sick, Singer "nursed his friend so carefully that after a week Ant was able to return to his work" (7). And when his friend gets in trouble with the law, Singer that pays his bail everytime. John Singer is just a very caring person. He probably recognizes that "Mick loved to go up to his room" (91) and so he does what he can to help them. And Singer knows just how important it is to have someone to talk to. Singer's relationship with Ant is very similar to Mick, Jake, and Copeland's relationship with Singer. Just as the three of them can talk endlessly to Singer without interruption, "Singer was always talking to Ant. His hands shaped the words in a swift series of designs" (4). And just as Singer is unable to respond to Mick, Jake, and Copeland, "Ant seldom moved his hands to speak at all" (4). The parallel relationship is pretty remarkable when you think about it. Singer feels much better when he is able to vent to Ant and people feel better when they vent to Singer. And for this reason, it would be unfair if Singer refused the same service that Ant provided him.
ReplyDeleteI think that the character's use of Singer as their silent therapist could definitely be argued as selfish, however, I think that there is a greater reason for which McCullers wrote about such a complicated mess of people all confiding in a man that is unable to respond to what he is told. It is evident that all the characters are being somewhat selfish in confiding to Singer because they know that he has no way to respond to anything they say, however, I think that their actions symbolize the complexity of isolation and suffering and that is the reason why McCullers chose to write about the lives of these people. (I know I am writing about something a little different than the question posed, however, I think that what I am trying to say can lend itself to the discussion of whether or not they are selfish in using Singer.) Each character in the novel is suffering in their own lives and using Singer as an outlet to vent. They are in control of how he responds, and therefore each character cannot be further disappointed when talking to Singer about their previous disappointments. For example, after Blount had an argument with the men at the mill about the workers who quit their jobs, he "thought of the mute and he wanted urgently to go back and sit with him awhile"(67). He, like all the other characters, finds solitude in the home of Singer, and appreciates the fact that Singer is a listener. When Jake goes to talk to Singer about how he is "the only man in this town that's been mad,"(68)he comes to a conclusion that Singer understands entirely the place where Jake is coming from: " 'You get it,' he said in a blurred voice. 'You know what I mean' "(69). It is obvious that Jake does not know for sure if Singer really understands what he was talking about, however, he still makes that conclusion because he can, that's the beauty of talking to someone to can't respond. Jake, and all the other characters, are responsible for not only what they tell to Singer, but also their perception of how he responds. In this way, the characters take advantage of Singer's disability, however, they also gain greatly from having someone to talk to.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with you, Celi, that it is wonderful that the characters gain someone to talk to, but from my reading of part 1, it seems as though Mick, Jake, and Copeland gain someone to listen to them, not talk to. I feel the relationships these three characters share with Singer (as already somewhat asserted in the two posts above) are incredibly one-sided and as Connor discussed in his post, it is noticeable that Singer recongnizes the one-sidedness of the relationships. When Singer "went away without warning" for his trip to visit Antonapoulos in the asylum, the people that had been coming to visit him go to Singer's room and feel "hurt surprise" (McCullers 92). They did not feel worry for where their "deaf-and-dumb mute" listener had gone (90). The reader is the only one who really knows this sentiment that Mick, Copeland, and Jack feel, but it seems that unspokenly Singer knows this too...knows that his 'friends' are using him.
ReplyDeleteOh wait, just realized something when I look back at the last page, the characters DID in fact show concern for Singer (how did I not catch that in my first reading!!). "Soon after Singer returned...each one of them wanted to know where he had been and why he had not let them know about his plan" (94). Do not write off my original point yet, though. I feel that these characters showed concern merely because they were concerned with their own well-being. Doctor Copeland needed to talk with Singer "about Augustus Benedict Mady Lewis" ... Mick needed a friend to listen to her; "It was funny, too, how lonesome a person could be in a crowded house" (91/53). And Jack, "who came every week..and he walked away thoughtfully" after venting, not talking and conversing with Singer (91).
Commenting on my comment above: I just read the question Mike posed to respond to that and I feel that some of my ideas in this response are very redundant to what has already been said...I will continue with new ideas upon Mike's question.
ReplyDeleteI believe the characters are "growing as people" by talking to Singer, but it is not enough to solve all of their problems(Connor). Mick,Jake, and Dr.C have a hard time finding their place and identifying with the people around them.They can connect with Singer because they can dehumanize him. They can create "their perception of how he responds" because to them he is only "deaf-and-dumb", perhaps gentle and loveable but percieved as inhuman(Celi;84).He is no more than the sum of his parts-"the many-tinted gentle eyes...grave as a sorcerer's" and his swiftly moving hands(94). Getting their worries off their chests will help Mick,Jake, and Dr.C find happiness or confidence but they will only truly be healed when they can again enter society and have the courage to speak and integrate with those they are most scared of, people who can voice judgement. To make a prediction like Connor asked, I don't believe any selfish behavior will comeback to affect Mick,jake,and Dr.C, but rather their inability to see Singer as human.I predict Singer will surprise them by somehow betraying their trust and consequently prove his humanity.
ReplyDeleteTo Claire:
ReplyDeleteThat quote(94)you found is interesting but i think it doesnt really mean they showed genuine concern, but maybe that they were wondering where he was because they were feeling lonely? I dont think it necessarily contradicts what you were saying at first, but helps your argument.
So my response may be a little choppy and unorganized because I just though of my idea based off of the other two questions, but it relates more to this question, so I'm writing here. Sorry in advance if it makes no sense!
ReplyDeleteAmanda's question brought up the idea of The Mortgaged Heart and the duality of personalities, and Mike commented a few minutes ago (as a joke) doing the thoughts of Singer when someone was talking to him. The two of these combined made me start thinking of John Singer and his abilities to listen to others. The more I looked at the poem, the more I saw it relating to Singer. "The dead" are the ones who talk to him about all of their problems (Blount, Mick, and the Dr.) (McCullers 1). They have "mortgaged hearts" and they know it. They "demand" from Singer his listening ear. "Singer was patient and did all that he could" (7). He sits and listens, and listens and gives not one ounce of advice or help. He "smiles in that hidden way of his" and all of a sudden the ones talking feel better (25). What does Singer feel about all of this? The other characters are allowed to have two sides to them, so I'm sure Singer does too.
To answer the question whether it is selfish or not, I think it is selfish considering Singer has no way of objecting a conversation unless he stands up and leaves, but he is too nice to do that. He must have other thoughts while listening to these people. "there was something very peculiar in the fellow's face. Jake tried to understand this look and was stumped. Then Singer smiled brightly" (68). Singer covers up how he is really feeling because he is able to. He is the one person who literally cannot speak his feelings. The last line of the poem is "do the dead know?" This again relates to Singer and his listening skills. Do these people know the burdens they are releasing on to him? Do they know his mortgaged heart; do they even want to know about it? Jake asks John, "When a person knows and can't make the others understand, what does he do?" (69). The mute just fills a glass of wine and hands it to him. I think that this is Singer's way of saying welcome to my life. He has to deal with all of this and he is not able to stop them. He just goes along with it.
Sorry that probably made no sense, but it's a developing idea! Every other character is allowed another side, so Singer should have one too.
By these characters venting their feelings to Singer, they are actually looking into themselves to solve their problems. Mick belives that "some kind of music was too private to sing in a house cram full of people" and since "Mister Singer reminded her of this music", there is a correlation between being isolated and Singer (53). Mick, along with Jake and Copeland, vent to Singer who understands the "things [they] want to mean" (23). They feel trapped and cannot say certain things that are embedded in their minds, yet they find serenity in imagining that they can tell a real human all about these issues without the fear of them being exposed to the public in which they do not quite belong. So, yes, I think it is selfish to use Singer to clear their minds and assume an identity for Singer, however, it is necessary for the sanity of these characters. And, like Molly said, "he is too nice to...stand up and leave. (Molly). If he had a genuine problem with being an outlet for these people, Singer would make an effort to reject their presence. Instead, he welcomes it, and even offers Jake a place to stay if need be. By this evidence, Singer is reaching out as well.
ReplyDeleteAmanda:
ReplyDeleteYou say "I predict Singer will surprise them by somehow betraying their trust and consequently prove his humanity."
I completely disagree. First, how is betraying those that are close to you human? Wouldn't that be considered inhuman? Unless you have a completely pessimistic view on life, I think that sticking up for your friends is a human quality, not the other way around.
But second, I really don't think that Singer would ever betray a secret. He is too noble. In the first paragraph, we get to see just how caring and thoughtful he is. He is described by Portia as one of the few white men that she respects. Everyone seems to like him. What evidence do you have for his eventual change in character?
Mike:
ReplyDeleteIt is not necessarily the betrayal that is human, but rather proving that you have a voice! He is not a wall, an inanimate object, but has the same thoughts and emotions as everyone else and has equal right to be judgemental. I think its very optimistic to think that a person has a right to their voice.
You say "betrayal is inhuman", how about slavery to the thoughts and ideas of others without a true voice? Just because you are patient,a good person, and put on a smile does not mean you enjoy being taken advantage of. It sounds almost dystopic. You couldn't get any more inhuman than that.
I would just like to comment that I don't think that these characters see Singer as a "friend". I would have to agree with Amanda that they "have a hard time finding their place and identifying with the people around them.They can connect with Singer because they can dehumanize him" (Amanda) because they do use Singer as a way of escape, or detraction because "talking with him was like a game" (91).
ReplyDeleteThey definitely use him as an escape and "went away with hurt surprise" when he left to see Antonapoulos (92). However, I think that Singer is also using them to pass the time until he can go talk to Antonapoulos. Singer is staying in town because he needs to work and physically support himself. however, this limits the time that he can spend while on "his two weeks' vacation" with Antonapoulos (94).
When Singer does not have visitors, he goes to see a movie where he "watches each scene with equal interest (92)". This description of how he sees movies is juxtaposed with the statement that Singer "was always the same to everyone" (92). This parallels how he watches his movies. Additionally, because Singer is both deaf and mute, it is almost like he is observing life as though it is a movie. Like how every scene holds "equal interest", every person is "treated the same". It is just a way for him to pass time so that he can go visit the only person who he feels he can communicate with- Antonapoulos.
I agree with Meg. While reading I realized that although the characters do look to Singer to preach stories to, I do not think that they do so intending to receive "therapeutic" help from Singer. "The mute was patient. He had been listening to Blount for almost an hour" (25). Although for Singer it may not have been the most enjoyable hour of his life0 as he "began to look at the clock ocassionally" (25), I do think characters discussions "with" Singer were very inportant. In talking to Singer and recieving no response the characters had to look to themselves for answers. Going off of this, I think it is good for the characters to talk to Singer. In doing this they must find answers within. Similar to what we studied with transcendental writers and Rilke's theories of solitude. It is this moment of one- way conversation, the moment of verbal "solitude", that the characters can attempt the find themselves. So although they do speak to Singer, I don't think they are malicious or selfish in doing so at all. For Singer they merely provide entertaining stories (though sometimes extensive) they provide him with necessary human interaction (which he lost when Antonapoulos went to the insane asylum), while he ultimately gives them nothing back.
ReplyDeletesorry its late so- disregard the part where i say "entertaining stories" as he can obviously not understand the. - Sorry
ReplyDeleteToo late my name is not sorry, its Liz HAha.
ReplyDelete-Liz
I think the characters' actions are unselfish because Singer needs Jake, Mick, and Copeland as much as they need him. All four characters are coping with isolation in their own ways: Mick is "lonesome ... in a crowded house" (53), Copeland and Jake struggle with the flippant nature of the people they attempt to talk to. No one can see Mick's struggle with her sexuality, no one understands Copeland's ideas about religion, and no one realizes the depth of Jake's education because of his constant drunkenness. In the midst of their isolation, Singer is the only one they can talk to who understands. These characters are reliant on Singer because he cannot speak back, therefore he cannot tell them the things they may not want to hear. He listens "with his hands stuffed tight into his pockets, [nodding] or [smiling] to show his guests that he understood" (92). Singer is a "thoughtful and composed" (94) man, an outlet for the characters to speak to without the worry of what he will say in return.
ReplyDeleteHowever, Singer needs these three characters as well. He struggles with loneliness because Antonapoulos is gone, leaving Singer just as alone as any of the other characters. When he goes to visit Antonapoulos at the asylum, Singer tells him that his companions "helped take his mind away from his lonesomeness ... they were strange people and always talking - but he liked to have them come" (93). Listening to the Mick, Copeland, and Jake gives Singer a purpose; he is not just a mute who sits in a bar or goes to movies, but people are reliant on him. In his isolation, what Singer needs most is to be depended on. Antonapoulos needed him in the beginning of the novel, having no one else to talk to, to pay his jail bail, to provide him with care and shelter. Once he leaves and this dependency is gone, Singer becomes lonely. In a way, Singer responds selfishly to these characters and their reliance on him; he needs them because he needs someone to be present. These four characters are therefore reliant on each other to cope with the struggle of their isolation, making the actions of Jake, Mick, and Copeland unselfish.