Reading Response 9/20

"Always each of them had so much to say. Yet now that they were together they were silent" (McCullers 210).

I believe this line reflects one of the main themes in the novel, which is being a misfit. While individually each character always had so much to say when they were with John Singer, when they were all present together, none of them knew how to interact and talk about what was on their minds. All of them really only had one real friend, in John Singer. For examples, Mick was stuck between her "inside" and "outside" world, and while Biff is a good overall guy, he didn't have anyone to talk to, not even his wife, while she was alive. The only person they would like to talk with was John Singer, and he was a mute, which makes him a misfit at the time as well. I also think this reflects McCullers directly, and how she was somewhat of a misfit in her lifetime. After researching and learning about Carson McCullers it is clear that some of these characters portray herself in different ways. For one example, Mick's love for music. McCullers shared this same love. Also, McCullers had homosexual relationships and in some characters you can trace evidence of homosexuality. I think one of the main themes in this novel is being an outcast from others and I think it directly relates to McCullers being an outsider in her lifetime.