Abstract

The Heart is A Lonely Hunter is the novel bringing the fame to Carson McCullers an outstanding American female writer, and it is ranked seventeenth on the list of 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century. By resorting to the related existential theories, especially Sartre's existential theories, this paper tries to expose the absurdity of the real world, and then it will further explore the classic theme of loneliness so as to endow it with a new flavor. Even though we are all the lonely hunters in the absurd society, we are not doomed. Every hunter shall deal with the loneliness with great courage and take up our responsibility bravely. So from this novel, we can not only observe the author's concern for the lonely souls, in the meantime, we can also tell that the author is not writing the loneliness for the sake of loneliness, she is trying to convey to us that we have to treat loneliness and life with positive attitudes.

Key words: Existentialism, The Heart is A Lonely Hunter, Absurdity, Loneliness

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction-1

2 Literature Review-2

3 The Irreversible Absurdity of the World-6

3.1 Absurdity in the Chaotic Reality-6

3.1.1 Absurdity Faced by the Society in the Novel-6

3.1.2 Absurdity Faced by Major Characters in the Novel-7

3.2 Absurdity in the Alleged Religion-9

3.2.1 Loss of Religious Faith in God-9

3.2.2 Question of God Reflected in the Novel-10

4 The Never-ending Loneliness in Human Condition-11

4.1 Loneliness in the spiritual leader-11

4.1.1 Loneliness Haunting the Town in the Novel-11

4.1.2 Loneliness Haunting John Singer-12

4.2 Loneliness in the lonely followers-13

4.2.1 Loneliness Haunting Singer’s Followers-13

4.2.2 Relief of Loneliness Confronting the Lonely followers-14

5 Conclusion-15

References-17