The Alienated Freaks:On Alienation And Loneliness In The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter

Carson McCullers,the renowned American female writer,is well-known for grotesque and freakishness in her novels.Freakishness such as tomboy,deaf mute,dwarf,cripple,androgyny and hunchback that she depicts is the manifestation of spiritual incapacity.McCullers aims to disclose ubiquitous loneliness in modern society through freakish protagonists in her novels.The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter is highly acclaimed as a remarkable novel.The Southern town described by McCullers in the novel is the microcosm of loneliness in modern society.The satellite relationship among Mick,Jake,Doctor Copeland,Biff and Singer forms the main plot.Except Biff,the other three constellate around Singer,confide in him their inner thoughts and dreams,and consider him as their savior.However,their illusion of the homemade God collapses with Singer's suicide.Existentialism,one of the most popular philosophical thoughts in the 20th century,discusses the issue of existence and essence,inwardness and senses,and freedom and authenticity of human beings.It is considered as the philosophical context of the analysis of alienation and loneliness in the thesis.Besides,this thesis aims to anatomize the theme of loneliness through Erich Fromm's theory of alienation,which claims that loneliness is on the one hand a psychological mechanism,and on the other hand aggravated by capitalist exploitation and alienation.Concerning the alleviation of loneliness,both McCullers and Fromm assert love as the anodyne to ease the pent-up alienation and aloneness.In addition,the quest for authentic self advocated by existentialists is also helpful for the relief of people's lonely heart.Though the redemption that these characters long for from Singer fails with his suicide,McCullers still expresses humanity through their awakening from illusion and their everlasting pursuit of ideals at the end of the novel.