Heart Is A Lonely Hunter Analysis

The Ultimate Battle

The battle between an individual and their inner self is widely depicted throughout different genres and distinct times in history. In The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, a novel written by Carson McCullers, the battle proves to be a major issue which multiple characters deal with. The main character, a deaf-mute named John Singer, comes into a town where the story takes place and ends up becoming a counselor-like figure who the residents confided in frequently, but all of the residents decided to reveal parts of their lives separately. An underlying theme is that despite Singer helping those around him dealing with their problems, he never discloses the fact that he is also dealing with his own issues, meaning that he projects a different person to others than who he really is. The author focuses more on Singer helping others, despite not talking at all, which makes him an appropriate example of the clash between a person and their inner self or suppressed emotions. A painting called Gala Éluard, created by artist Max Ernst, also displays the conflict bounded by an individual and their inner self. The theme displayed in the painting can be connected to the inner struggles of the characters and specifically Singer. The challenges of life cause internal struggles forcing people to try to conform to social expectations. The first characters that are introduced in the book are Spiros Anastopoulos and John Singer, who are both deaf mutes who live together in a