Interpretation Of "the Other" And Its Positive Energy In Carson McCullers’ Novels

Carson McCullers (1917-1967) is one of the most accomplished writers in American literature history and also one of the most significant literary representatives in southern America. She won her fame in her early twenties, for the publication of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter in1940. From that time on, she has her works published one by one, which include Reflection in a Golden Eye, The Member of the Wedding, The Ballad of Sad cafe, and Clock Without Hands. Critics of McCullers seized their vision upon the strange world of freakish outsiders living in lovelorn barren lands, closed and solitary spaces, with themes of miscegenation, sexual ambiguity and bloody violence. Thus, most of them concurred that the southern America grotesques is closely connected with the gloomy, pessimistic social reality in which the soul of man is desperate, aimless and loveless. What is more, they then argue that the southern America literature allegorizes the human condition as spiritual alienation and angst.Considerable as the quantity of criticism has been given to McCullers’ fictions and her reviews in a variety of forms, such as articles, papers, reviews and books, there has been little emphasis on "the other" and its positive energy. Though some critics have touched the theme of "the other", they seldom attach the affirming and positive influence to these other figures. Instead, they mainly address their sad and doomed failure.However, through the detailing reading of McCullers’ works, it is not difficult to find that the southern grotesques, despite their seemingly odd appearance and behaviors, they, in a matter of fact, are heroes and heroines who dare to challenge the norms and conformity so as to liberate their inner souls. And in the process of their challenge and protest, they show their virtues which are merely seen in people who claim to be "normal". Yet it is "the other" who does present a heart of concern, a mind of openness, and an embrace of minority. Therefore, the goal of this essay is to redefine the southern grotesques who have been unfortunately misread and misunderstood for a long time. Actually, it is they who hold the affirming and positive power and they are not limited to an alienating modernity. Rather, they are to do with the affirming qualities and process of developing, and construction of transformation.This thesis chooses three representative figures in two novels The Ballad of Sad cafe and Reflection in a Golden Eye. This thesis, based on exhaustive textual analysis, is devoted to analyze:first, the characteristics in "the other" figures, and second, their positive energy to the world. Miss Amelia in The Ballad of Sad cafe is the representative of female other whose positive energy could be seen clearly through her benevolence and independence. The second figure is Anacleto, who is the racial other, and in Reflection in a Golden Eye he fights against the social norms which is indifferent to any deformed behavior. During his challenge, he shows his warm heart and deep love towards the minority, and helps those who need protection. The last character is solider Williams, also in Reflection in a Golden Eye, who gains his dignity and humanity after saying no to the hypocritical social norms.This thesis is designed to provide a new perspective to further the interpretation of McCullers’ freak protagonists. Her focus on those grotesque figures ask for an openness and tolerant attitude to the "abnormal" and a dissatisfaction and a challenge to the social norms.