Loneliness_《心是孤独的猎手》读后感English version

Loneliness

0081101082 陆丽洁

For quite a long time, I have believed every confidence in the power of love,

no matter in friends, family members or lovers. We are being told that nothing

could defeat love in the world all time. However, not until I read the novel The

Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, written by Carson McCullers that have I changed my

opinion.

It’s commonly regarded as the first novel by Carson McCullers at the age of

23. It’s hard to believe that such a young lady should have this kind of hopeless

loneliness. The novel tells a story about John Singer, a deaf mute, and people he

met with in a southern town. Although it was quiet and calm in the small town,

everyone seemed to be suffering from solitary, confusion, depression and eager

for understanding, connection and love. Compared to them, Singer was seemingly

the most satisfied and happiest man at the very first beginning. Unlikely, after he

heard the news that his friend and companion was dead, he couldn’t stand

anymore and finally ended up his life with a gun. The whole town fell into the

endless loneliness then.

Loneliness is the theme of the novel and what McCullers wanted to express.

It is represented here in different kinds of forms.

Mick Kelly, a girl with the great talent for music, was stunted by cruel

reality in her life. She was uncertain about anything but music. With few

communications with her family, she was always wandering aimlessly in her own

inner world. When she found out the magic of rhythms and lyrics ,Mick burst out

tears and couldn’t help hitting herself. However, the reality was fond of making

jokes on her. She got lost in intense solitude because she did have dreams but

sought no way to realize them. Her loneliness came from the depression when

ideals died out gradually in realistic and difficult life.

Jake Blount, an alcoholic worker believing in communism, had great

suspicion for the capitalist world system and hoped to change the disappointing

world. He read a lot of books and had been to various places. Abundant

knowledge he acquired, he didn’t know how to change ideas and beliefs of

anyone. People referred him just as drunkard and clown. That’s why he always

felt lonesome.

Benedict Copeland, a professional African-American doctor, desperately

expected his children to be the leaders to alter black people’s destiny. Contradict

to his aspiration, his children, together with his wife, hoped to live a common but

peaceful life. They didn’t like to be involved in so-called national dignity affairs.

He endured the frustrating solitary because of losing hope for his aspiration.

They were lonely with no one sharing their loneliness. Each of them was

eager to be listened to and understood as well as in hope of finding the same

voice. However, people are so different from each other that how hard it will be

to have your comrade. Besides, it takes risks to communicate with others in some

degree. You will never know whether the person is willing to share your thoughts

and whether he understands you or not. It may be shamed and frustrated that

when you open heart to someone he just says “Oh, I am sorry, but in fact I can’t

make it out.”

As a result, Singer became the only person that could save them from the

loneliness. As a mute who was unable to talk to people freely and normally like

others did, he spent most of his time listening and understanding but seldom

replied. For this reason, he was regarded as the perfect listener and secret-keeper.

He seemed to never argue about anything and be prepared to give advice and

comfort at next second. When these poor people got strongly absorbed in

depression and sense of alienation, they would like to visit Singer and stayed in

his shabby room, keeping talking. They trusted to communicate with him and

found themselves inner peace there. Perhaps it is the biggest irony that people can only communicate with someone who loses the ability of speech. Therefore,

Mick thought she found the one that could listen to music with her; Jake

considered that he sought out the Irish Singer that could share communism

concept together; finally the doctor held that he had someone bear racial

discrimination as well. They thought of speechless Singer as the ideal listener in

their heart. In other words, they just found a space where they could talk to

themselves.

As for Singer, the listener for most of people, he had his own loneliness. He

loved Antonapoulos so deeply that he gave out all of his valuable things definitely,

unselfishly and somewhat aimlessly. He used to be happy and free from sadness

when Antonapoulos stayed with him. Even when Antonapoulos was addicted to