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The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (Modern Library)

5 Sterne:		(40)
4 Sterne:		(19)
3 Sterne:		(12)
2 Sterne:		(5)
1 Sterne:		(17)

 

 

Der Handlungsort ist eine Stadt in Georgia, die Handlungszeit die Jahre und Monate vor Ausbruch des 2. Weltkrieges. Das macht das Buch aber weder unaktuell, noch fällt es schwer, sich mit seinen Figuren zu identifizieren. Die Frage ist nur, mit welcher? Vermutlich ändert sich das im Laufe eine Lebens, wenn man das Buch wieder einmal liest.
Im Mittelpunkt der Geschichte stehen vier Personen, die alle abseits oder am Rande der gesellschaftlichen Norm leben. So unterschiedlich ihre Ideale und Wünsche auch sind, sie alle sehnen sich vor allem danach, verstanden zu werden, und jeder glaubt, dies bei dem taubstummen John Singer zu finden, der ihnen zu"hört", der ihre Nähe zulässt, der einfach da ist für sie. Doch letzten Endes ist genau dieser John Singer derjenige, der am meisten unter seiner gefühlten Einsamkeit leidet.
In diesem Roman steckt mehr Tiefgang und Lebensweisheit als in den meisten anderen Büchern, die ich in jüngerer Vergangenheit gelesen habe. Das ist umso erstaunlicher, da die Autorin gerade mal 23 Jahre alt war, als sie es verfasste.
"Das Herz ist ein einsamer Jäger" ist eine traurige, aber eine wunderschöne Geschichte, in der sehr viel Nachdenkenswertes steckt. Eines der Bücher, die man ganz sicher nicht nur einmal liest!

I consider The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter to be a classic novel. It certainly is a masterpiece. The setting of the story is down south in Georgia. The era is during the Great Depression. This was an era of racial tension especially in the south, but as is often the case in the novel, music proved to be a strong source of solace and passions are stirred to add vigor to the romantic side of things. Even though they lived in a delicate world of their times, the characters live their lives oblivious of the constraints around. The strength of spiritual isolation is strong and mirrors the reality of mankind. The novel portrays the purpose of man in his God-given role on earth. This is a novel that will be enjoyed by generations to come. Just like DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, this book carries a deep message.

This is one book where the reader cannot but help to become emotionally involved in the lives of the characters that, at the time of its writing, the twenty-three year old Carson McCullers detailed with such enigmatic and poignant care. It is a very emotionally draining expeience as Carson takes the reader on a journey of the depths of the human soul. She examines social prejudices through the eyes of a mute deaf named Singer, a young dreamer named Mick Kelly, a loud mouth drunken Marxist named Jake Blount, a tavern operator with a sullen heart named Biff Brannon, and a African-American Doctor known as Dr. Copeland who is both an activist and learned man. This is an extremely active story with subplots that interweave with poetic grace and styling. the setting is a small southern town in the post-depression era. The young McCullers wrote this without overexaming the social problems of the time. She lays the groundwork and lets the reader form his or her own opinions about the social situations affecting each of the main characters. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter is a fascinating novel, depicting the hardships of life of a small southern town without purging itself on social stylings and prose. A must read for fans of classic American prose.

Mick Kelly, a young tomboy of a girl who has a fire in her belly for classical music and tends her brother Bubber, is a dynamic enough character to make this book a must read. Add to her presence characters like John Singer, a mute resident of the Kellys' boarding house, Bill Brannon, proprietor of the New York Cafe, Doctor Benedict, who is black in a small southern town early in the 20th Century, Mady Copeland, drinking Jake Blount who has visions, and you have a mix worth of solid reading. The book has some of the deeply introspective magic of Sherwood Anderson's WINESBURG, OHIO, but is an original on its own. It is an amazing accomplishment for a 23-year old to write what is her master work. By reading this book you will know the characters as well as family members, and the book will make you smile, and will leave a lump in your throat. This book is to novels what CASABLANCA is to movies -- not a wasted word -- a classic!

This book is set in a small, indistinct southern town, full of misfits -- people who don't feel like they quite fit in anywhere -- with different desires and dreams. A lot of what McCullers focuses on is the inability of individuals to express themselves to others. Instead, they put their energies towards self-destructive habits such as drinking, fighting, and sex.

Two of the main characters are Mick Kelly and John Singer. Mick is a young tomboy who comes of age in the story. She doesn't have money for instruments or lessons, but she goes through a deeply personal attempt to find the kind of happiness and beauty she finds from musical expression. Mick, like many of the townspeople, finds beauty and intrigue in the deaf mute, John Singer. John Singer leads a quiet life, but is deeply troubled by the loss of his longtime friend Anatopolous, who is also a deaf mute. John Singer becomes a mystical figure to the townspeople, becoming a projection of each individual's personal desires. Part of his mysticism forms around the fact that he is a deaf mute, therefore communication is limited, mostly a one-way event. People pour all their wishes and dreams into their projections of him.

Amazingly, Carson McCullers was only 23 when this book was published. How a person that young (well, my age, in fact) could write with such an insightful view of humanity, as well as politics, art & music is impressive. Her prose is descriptive, but at the same time spare. The narrator of the book gives a limited-omniscent view, so while you know what each character might think, you feel you only are scratching the surface of their thoughts. In many cases, what you find is that the individuals themselves don't quite understand their own motives or desires.

This book in many ways reminds me of Sherwood Anderson's classic novel, Winesburg, Ohio. The power of these books is not in what is said or the events themselves, but the things left unexplained,what we are prompted to think about as a result.

excitement that I felt like a zombie reading it. I struggled mercifully to finish it, and when I did I wasn't at all satisfied. The book is incredibly boring, and is NO CLASSIC! I think that this book has its moments but other than that it is horrible. I was forced to read this by my English teacher. How cruel!!!

I had to read this book for school. It was rather boring. The only parts I liked was about Mick Kelly, and nothing ever even happend to her. But, it is easy to trace the pattern of lonliness throughout the book. Anyway, if you are reading it for fun, you've got to be REAL BORED!!!

I really can't see why this is considered to be a classic. The characters don't grow, they don't chance for good or bad. They never get outside themselves, and nothing ever happens. Can someone explain the point of all this to me?

I'll admit that this book was interesting, but I didn't know where the author was going with it. I had to read this book for English so I could write a speech about it on whether or not it's a classic. I don't know what I will write since I really don't know what it's themes are. I could not relate to the characters very much. I don't know anyone like these people! What I saw were a bunch of losers who had their problems, but they didn't didn't try to help themselves! Mr. Singer was the most promising character in the book, but he killed himself! I was very disappointed! I guess this book made me realize that I have little problems in comparison to them. Don't read this book unless you are an expert on finding themes!

This book was boreing to read because it did not follow a definite plot line and skipped from person to person. I didnt know what was happening or who it was happening to. It was a chore to read instead of a pleasure.