Before she began writing The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, young Carson McCullers meticulously outlined the entire novel and each of the main characters. Like spokes on a wheel, they all revolve around Singer. Then, in one shocking instant, their lives threaten to unravel. Did Carson intend for them to appear permanently caught in the wheel, destined to make the same mistakes again? Or did she plant a glimmer of hope in each of their stories?

Mick Kelly
On the brink of puberty, Mick teeters between being a tomboy in shorts and a responsible young lady. Her maturing body is filled with a passion for music but poverty may rob her of her dreams. Will she rebel and stay a child forever or can her love save her family?

Doctor Benedict Mady Copeland
Doctor Copeland is torn between two desires—his ideals of service and demands of justice for his race keep him at arms length from his estranged family and community. Is he a sad father figure or a man fighting a losing battle?

Jake Blount
A man who looks more like a circus clown than a carnival worker, Jake blows into town with visions of uniting laborers and making America great again. Is Doctor Copeland's spiritual brother an idiot savant or simply a drunken rabble-rouser?

Biff Brannon
A silent observer of the night owls that frequent his café, Biff is searching for someone to love and to answer his riddles. Does he hold the answers the others have been seeking or will his own dark secrets keep him in the background forever?

NEXT STORY

Next Story