Isolation In Mcculler's The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter

John Singer’s obvious form of isolation lies in his disability, being a deaf/mute, and having that language barrier between himself and everyone else in society. This being one of several examples in the novel, McCullers creates a story about many characters that, in some way or another, experience a form of loneliness either personally or generally. He writes the novel this way to construct an imperfect society with flawed characters, who ironically, come to who is considered the most flawed person with their personal issues in search of wisdom. Each character in McCullers’ novel The Heart is a Lonely Hunter may be identified with some form of isolation or loneliness within their lives and/or society. The seclusion of the characters represents their societies’ lack of acceptance which can still be seen today. Our civilization today, although more progressed than the one in McCullers’ novel, continues to lack acceptance within certain social groups. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is

McCullers created these flawed outcasts to portray her theme of seclusion, each of them representing a different issue that occurs within their personal lives. McCullers explained: “Spiritual isolation is the basis of most of my themes. Love, and especially love of a person who is incapable of returning or receiving it, is at the heart of my selection of grotesque figures to write about--people whose physical incapacity is a symbol of their spiritual incapacity to love or receive love--their spiritual isolation.” John Singer is a strong example of one of McCullers’ characters that is incapable of returning the feeling of love to others because of his being unable to speak or hear. This personal disability gives him the sense of “spiritual isolation” that McCullers strives to give her