Love is a strong reaction one feels towards someone or something. While many may dispute that it drives people to form rash decisions, it is also known as a remarkable emotion that is beneficial. The novel, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, by Carson McCullers, depicts copious situations where people who have a love for each other use that emotion both positively and negatively. Several characters in this novel utilize this emotion for their own benefit, but only a few carry on to illustrate their love for others. In particular, Mick Kelly and John Singer, in spite of all their troubles and hardships, make it an obligation to tend to friends and family. Unconditional love is often exhibited towards people one cares about, whether or not the feeling …show more content…
When he asks the person at the front desk where his friend is staying, he is struck with the devastating news that his friend is dead. Shocked, he goes back home, “[brings] out a pistol from his pocket and put a bullet in his chest” (McCullers 326). This depicts the uncharacteristic affection Singer has for his lifelong friend; the concern he possesses is so powerful to the point where a life without his friend is not a life worth living. The emotion he experiences is the years of friendship the two have had together throughout the course of their life, even though Singer is often being used rather than being treated as a friend. He feels as if Antonapoulos is the only person who truly understands him, as they both struggle with disabilities, so therefore, relate to each other on a deeper level than with others around him. While Singer’s approach to a loss is more extreme than most, Mick reacts differently and feels that it is her duty to help her family in any way possible. As stated previously, Mick’s family is dealing with many financial struggles, sometimes leaving the children without food for a day or two. Due to their continuous struggle, Mick’s family begins to converse with each other about job searching. She later makes the life-changing decision to “take the job” because “she can hold it down” (McCullers 327). After Singer’s passing, she continues on with her life, but at that point, many things have changed. From a child, she has loved music, but “now no music was in her mind” (McCullers 353). From her job to changes in her life, Mick now takes responsibility for many things other than her love for music. She has pushed that aside and now focuses on the wellness of the family as she is one of the income providers. This demonstrates her selfless behavior towards her family as she puts something that she holds dear to her heart, and pushes it aside