Sunday, March 20, 2011
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!
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I think the question you pose, Megan that Singer is in some way related to God is something I have been wondering the entire novel. After finishing the third section of the novel, I feel that Singer is not related to God, but considered God-like to the four that seek his help. Maybe it is just the fact that they feel they can speak to him like no other person. This may be a stretch, but the words that Simms wrote on the blackboard that are supposed to call people to come to evening mass, “He Died to Save you” can be paralleled to the death of Singer (McCullers 340). I do believe that Singer committed suicide because after the death of Antonopoulos his heart was left with “loneliness [he] could not bear” but I also believe that his death put the preciousness of life in perspective for the four individuals who came to visit Singer (217). Singer recognized in his letter written to Antonopoulos the day Biff, Jake, Mick, and Dr. Copeland all came to his room at the same time, that they all have “so much business in their minds always that does not let them rest” (214). After Singer dies, all this business is put into perspective. The characters seem to put their lives in some sort of order once Singer dies. Doctor Copeland left for Grandpapa’s to gain strength and heal from being sick for so long, Jake intends to go “north and slightly to the west. But he would not go too far away” and although the reader is not assured he will continue leading a life of drunkenness, the fact that he is beginning to see “the outline of his [life’s] journey take form” is enough for the reader to believe his life will be put in some sort of order (350). Mick, although not supremely happy working at Woolworth’s, is doing something in her life—not just following behind Singer. Singer’s passing is what forces these characters to do something with their lives, so in that case he is somewhat like a martyr, but not a God.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with what you have talked about above Claire. I think that Singer is this God-like figure because he is defined by each character in a specific way. I think that this relates back to how because he is a deaf-mute and provides no feedback when talked to, each person can establish what they want his response to be. He is almost universal because he is so detached from his visitors, giving each visitor a greater ability of defining Singer as whatever they please. This relates to religion in that God represents something different to everyone. Each person has their own perception of God, of Gods, and of religion, however, religion allows for an outlet to rely on, just as Singer is an outlet for all of the characters in the novel.
ReplyDeleteTo focus in on something specific...Biff's knowledge of this God-like view of Singer is very interesting, if we are going to make the claim that Biff is the reader. In one if his sections, Biff states, "How singer had been before was not important. The thing that mattered was the way Blount and Mick made of him a sort of home-made God. Owing to the fact he was a mute they were able to give him all the qualities they wanted him to have. Yes. How could such a strange thing come about? And why?"(232). Biff seems to ask the same questions that we as the readers ask, and he is aware of the fact that Singer is such an universal character, just as we have concluded. This would lead me to question if Biff feels the same way about Singer, that he is almost God-like, and if not, why does he find himself just as focused on Singer as the other characters in the novel if he does not rely on him as the others do? I just thought that this was a great way to relate different aspects of the novel to one another!
Claire, i think your connection to Singer and paralled to "he died to Save you" is not so much of a stretch( 340). I dont think Singer died to save them, but they were still saved somewhat because he died as each was forced to make some compromise, find "some good" to rejoin society(354). I think this highlights how Singer is not God, because he had only himself in mind with his suicide.
ReplyDeleteOn what Celi said, I dont think Biff thinks Singer is God but he is quite aware that the others seem to and I think hes more focused on the strangeness of the situation than Singer himself, "the puzzle of Singer and the rest of them" (358). He stiil wants to make sense ofhis feeling that there was "something wrong" that he's brought up so often" (134).
Even if Singer is not a true representation of God I do think McCullers suggests it as Megan suggests. There's multiple places where God isbrought up that can relate to Singer, one in particular is a part when Jake is talking to Simms and he says "God will get you. You and all your crew. God remembers the scoffers"(281). I think this is eerily similar to what Singer did the people he abondoned "the crew" when they felt they most needed him. The crew of people who need Singer so much , yet never even took Ant's situation into account, those who "scoffed" at the big Greek.
Claire, I thought the same thing when I read the "He died to save you" line. However, I do agree with Amanda in that I think Singer's death was only with the intention of suicide, making his character all the more real. I also agree with Amanda's point that McCullers intends to make Singer a godlike figure. To answer Celi's question, when Biff first describes Singer, he comments, "The fellow was downright uncanny ... His eyes made a person think that he heard things nobody else had ever heard, that he knew things no one had ever guessed before. He did not seem quite human" (25). Biff regards Singer in the same manner as the other characters, and sees that he is not like the others. However, he questions Singer's nature instead of using it to his advantage, as the other characters do. If Biff parallels the narrator, perhaps this comment mirrors our own thoughts; Singer seems godlike to us because of his uncanny ability to understand people without words. This causes me to question Biff's status at the end of the novel. To me, it seemed as though he was the only one who was unable to move on: "As he held [the zinnia] in the palm of his hand to the light the flower was not such a curious specimen after all. Not worth saving. He plucked the soft, bright petals and the last one came out on love. But who? Who would he be loving now? No one person. Anybody decent who came in out of the street ... But no one person. He had known his loves and they were over ... Finished. Leaving him either better or worse. Which? However you looked at it" (357). Biff's last narration seemed rather depressing to me. He watches Jake leave, watches Mick as she grows up, and is unable to move on himself. Biff throughout the novel was the only one who ever questioned Singer's character and his purpose in society. Is this why he seems unable to move on at the end of the novel? Does faith in this sense become imperative in order to grow as a person? I mean faith in the way that Mick, Copeland, and Jake obviously must have wondered who Singer truly was and questioned his godlike nature. However, they do not make a habit of questioning it, but rather talk to him anyway and have faith that he will always be there. At the end of the novel, they are upset about Singer's death. However, they all leave the reader the impression that they are able to accept Singer's death and are moving into their futures.
ReplyDeleteLooking at all of your responses, I started thinking about Singer being a symbol for God, or even religion. I know that some people think that Singer helped the four characters who relied on him, but I think that he almost pushed them backward. He gave them false hope and false faith. This made me think that if McCullers intended for Singer to symbolize God/Jesus, maybe she is making a claim about religion. They are just circling around their own lives. There is no beginning or end. The novel starts just as it finishes. I feel as if there is a negative connotation on religion in this story, but I could be completely wrong.
ReplyDeleteWhen Jake is talking to Simms, he says "I can round up a crowd tonight...Give me your pretty colored chalk. I promise a big crowd" and Simms responds, "I've seen your signs...'Workers! America is the richest country in the world yet a third of us is starving. When will we unite and demand our share?'...Your signs are radical. I wouldn't let you use my chalk" (341). I think that the "radical signs" that Jake is writing are important and not at all radical. I just thought this was interesting that the church will not profess these ideas and considers them radical. Again this is a very developing idea and it is different from most of yours, so I'm not really positive where I am going with it.
I was doing a little research about Carson McCullers and her relationship with God. It made me think because As McCullers has said she likes to reflect herself in each character- but if we are going to make the claim that Singer in "God-like" I think it is important to look at McCullers real life relationship with God. Mcullers states that: "Writing, for me, is a search for God." I learned through researching that McCullers was at a crossroads with God, and couldn't exactly find "him". Interestingly i think in her novel "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter", McCullers experiments with the loss of God in the characters lives. One journalist states that "The deaf mute character John Singer functions as an Everyman and Christ figure while he interacts with others burdened by a sense of painful loss but who try to help themselves. The book echoes McCullers's own life of alienation from homeland and God". I find McCullers' personal connections to the novel really intriguing. Back to the idea about God, right off the bat McCullers includes God, when Portia describes her father (Dr. Copeland) and she sates "He done lost God and turned his back to religion" (49). This is exactly what happened to McCullers. If anyone has other connections between the novel and McCullers- add them (it's really interesting to see her reflection within the characters!)
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