If you are looking for an upbeat experience or a novel that will leave you feeling good about mankind, then stay away from this book. I thought my writing was dark - compared to McCullers I am an eternal optimist.
I read it because this is one of the novels that is always mentioned when the discussion turns to Southern Gothic. It does have the elements of that genre.
It is essentially plotless. There is a plot, of course- things happen - but it is a very loose sequence of events that happen to the characters. Most of those events are tragic and sad. I am trying to think of at least one good thing that happens to the people in the book and I really can't think of any.
The book centers around the deaf mute Singer, and the other character's reactions and relationships to him. They believe that he is able to understand their thoughts and innermost feelings. In reality, he understands very little of what they say to him. In return they don't understand him at all.
I also suspect the author is trying to push a communist agenda. Two of the characters are communists, although, in the author's defense, neither of them is successful at influencing the people around them.
I failed to develop an empathy with any of the major characters. I suppose I liked Portia best, but she was just a secondary character.
As a Southern native, and a resident of Georgia, I find it hard to believe that liquor was available by the drink in the New York diner in the 1930s. Under the table or out of the back room, maybe, but not for sale in the open. This is the bible belt, and the home of dry counties. I have no historical facts to back this up. There were some other small things that struck me as uncharacteristic also.
It's interesting, as an author, to look at the structure. It's about 120K words, told from 5 viewpoints, all in 3rd person POV past tense. Mick, Biff, Dr. Copeland, Singer and Jake. Each change in viewpoint occurs at a chapter break. She does not follow a regular pattern in the change of viewpoints. For instance, there are seven chapters devoted to Mick, but only four to Singer. The book is divided into three parts. Part I basically establishes all the characters, with one chapter apiece, except for Singer, who gets two. All of the tragic events happen in Part II. Biff's wife dies, Bubber shoots Baby, Willie looses his feet, Mick has sex, and finally Singer commits suicide. In Part III the remaining characters all react to Singer's death, and continue with their lives.
So the novel is sad, tragic, dark, preachy, and not that authentic in its setting. So why is it popular? I believe that has more to do with the character of Dr. Copeland. It is rare to find a realistic and powerful characterization of a Black from that time period.
I can't imagine the dark funk that McCullers must have been in to write this book, or the state of mind she was in when she finished it. I know how my own attempts at writing fiction affect me. If she was similarly affected she must have been contemplating suicide before she finished the book. I applaud her though, for sticking with it to the end. Surely she must have been tempted to let something good happen to at least one of the characters? Mick go to college or get music lessons? Dr. Copeland have one of his children show some spark of interest in his beliefs?
I also find it hard to believe that she loved the South, or enjoyed living here. She seems to be deliberately pointing out all the negative aspects of the region at that time in our history. I guess that is part of the Southern Gothic genre, but in some of the other examples I have read, the author at least seems to have some fondness for the region and the characters in the book.
So if you are in the mood to be depressed, by all means give it a read...
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