brief Character Study of John Singer in Carson McCullers' 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter'

We are introduced to 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter' with the characters Spiros Antonapoulos and John Singer. They are the only two deaf-mutes in the town and therefore stick together, living together and spending all their time, except when they're at work, together. John Singer is described as "...tall. His eyes had a quick, intelligent expression. He was always immaculate and soberly dressed." This gives us the impression of a man who is always …

…of a staircase, and he is kneeling behind him, while the other four characters kneel behind him, this is the dynamic of the relationships in the novel. It is the chain of adoration. He is the symbol of hope throughout the novel, as he gives the rest of the characters the means to feel loved and to feel like they can have a believable ambition. He is the embodiment of all they aspire to be.