A Study Of Loneliness In Carson Mccullers' Major Works

Carson McCullers was one of the outstanding woman writers in Southern American literature in the 20th century. Although she was not a prolific writer, her unique artistic style earned her world-wide fame in literary critic field. Among all her works, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, The Ballad of the Sad Café, and The Member of the Wedding are the representatives. Loneliness is the perpetual theme of McCullers'novels. Because of the specific historical period in which she was living and her special life experience, McCullers'comprehension and experience in insulation and loneliness were deeper than anyone. In her works, everything should abdicate to and work for the theme of loneliness.Based on the previous research, this thesis conducts a study of Carson McCullers'three major works mentioned above from three perspectives of environmental description, portrayal of typical characters and narrative strategies, the goal of which is to study the eternal theme——loneliness in McCullers'novel writing.The thesis consists of five parts:The introduction covers McCullers'life story, writing techniques, the introduction to her three major novels and literature reviews on her works at home and abroad. Meanwhile, the purpose of this thesis is also stated.Chapter I analyzes the theme of loneliness from the angle of the environmental description. The description of the natural environment heightens the lonesome atmosphere; the social environmental description reveals the faith crisis of American Southerners and the loneliness caused by this crisis.Chapter II discusses the theme of loneliness is shown in the portrait of typical characters. These typical characters are portrayed to describe their inner activities and reveal accurately and vividly their feelings of loneliness.Chapter III explores the theme of loneliness from the aspect of narrative strategies. In McCullers'works, loneliness can be seen everywhere, even in the narrative structure and the modes of focalization. By using these narrative strategies, the theme of loneliness is deepened.This thesis will conclude that in McCullers'works, the environmental description, the portrait of typical characters and the narrative strategies all serve the theme of loneliness. And furthermore, McCullers's basic purpose of depicting the loneliness is to call on people to break through the loneliness.In the 21st century, with the continuous development of material civilization, the contemporary people are also facing the mental perplexity and anxiety in the spiritual world. Aren't the lonely and communication-longing souls in the texts the vivid reflection of the contemporary people in the more materialized age?...