Reading a book the second time is rarely as good as the first time; this time is no exception. This is a powerful novel---all the more powerful given that it was written by a 23-yr. old---and deserves acclaim. My main comment on reading it the second time is that it is a STRANGE story. But strange and Carson McCullers seem to go together.
You got people who can barely communicate with each other except to a deaf mute and the people never know if he is understanding or not. Somehow the characters in the story are drawn to John Singer, and I don’t quite understand why except that Singer has some kind magnetic people charisma that makes people want to confide in him.
Jake Blount is the least realistic character. I mean we’re talking about
a “radical” socialist running around in the late 30’s (a good time for a socialist to be running around though) talking about how people don’t understand (how they are being exploited by the capitalistic economic system?). Did the author know somebody like this growing up in Columbus, Georgia?
The African-American doctor, yes I can understand him. Poor guy---estranged from his family, doing medical wonders for his people, knowing that his people don’t understand either. He names one of his sons Karl Marx. Who would dare do that to a kid?
Mick has musical interests and ambitions but is very limited in how she can exploring these things in her environment. The poor guy is bound by a small town in The South in the late 30’s.
And Biff? Pretty good fellow I think---maybe the most normal person in the novel.
Nobody understands anybody in this story. It’s all very strange.
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