The Member Of The Wedding By Carson Mccullers - 1235 Words

Although a character of few pages and few words, I find Honey Brown to be the most compelling and intriguing figure of The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers. Honey Brown, the foster brother of Berenice, drifts into the story only a handful of times, but his presence, even in the shadows of the scenes, creates a growing curiosity for the reader and ignites a profound empathy for his account. His quiet and stunted dialogues and solemn nature create an enigmatic yet noteworthy narrative. His struggle with racial confinements and inability to conform leaves him without a purpose and with a soul perpetually tormented and eventually broken. McCullers personifies the extreme realities of Frankie’s fears of entrapment and exclusion in†¦show more content†¦The size of his part in the novel reflects his role in society, minor and mostly shoved to the corner to be forgotten. Interestingly, while he is concealing his brain from the world and rejecting his own capacit y, he hides in Big Mama’s kitchen reading for so long that his nose is about to â€Å"grow into [the] book† (127). To the world he portrays himself as slow and dull, but under his faà §ade is a brilliant and vibrant mind, which only a few are fortunate enough to glimpse. However his success in academia was not always so hushed and he was not always so pessimistic about his own prospects. He had been the â€Å"first in his studies at the colored high school† and had taught himself French as well as â€Å"played the horn† (128). One could easily say he was a prodigy. However, somewhere in his transition from adolescence to adulthood, his ambitions become disillusions and his world becomes smaller to the point where he becomes confined to the barriers of his mind. He has so much going for him, but the era he lives in will never acknowledge his potential for greatness. It is heartbreaking to see such a great mind doubt himself, but the tolls of societal burdens are mercilessly detrimental. Member of the Wedding delves into these constraints caused by societal set identities through different points in people’s lives, but only Honey, at this time, is beaten down by these woes so violently. UnlikeShow MoreRelatedThe Member Of The Wedding By Carson Mccullers1504 Words   |  7 PagesWeddings are meant to be a time of happiness and joy for both families of the couple who intend on joining their lives together. This cultural normality does not prove true for Frankie Addams, in the novel The Member of the Wedding written by Carson McCullers. Frankie is a young, twelve year old girl full of jealousy towards her older brother who will be wed towards the end of the novel. Despite being a tomboy, Frankie dreamed and eventually became obsessed with her wedding and the thought of gettingRead MoreMember of the Wedding by Carson Mccullers - Context Ess ay (Expository)1748 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel ‘The Member of The Wedding’ by Carson McCullers, the author explores this concept of identity and belonging, conveying her key views and values through the struggles of her story’s main protagonist, Frankie. Frankie is a twelve year old girl who is very much confused with the world, and finds herself in a situation which is familiar to most adolescents; awkwardly caught up somewhere between childhood and adulthood, with the haunting feeling of belonging â€Å"to no club and [being] a member of nothingRead MoreNoteworthy American Writers: Carson McCullers Essay2022 Words   |  9 PagesCarson McCullers is regarded as one of the most noteworthy American writers of the twentieth century. She had a challenging life; she was constantly battling illness, a turbulent marriage and alcoholism. The way she lived and felt is reflected in some of her novellas and short stories. In Ballad of a Sad Cafe there is a blend of i solation and the absence of love that consumes three characters: Amelia, Marvin, and Lymon. The novella The Members of the Wedding delves into the life of Frankie AdamsRead MoreEssay on Carson McCullers1148 Words   |  5 PagesCarson McCullers      Ã‚  Ã‚   Walter Allen said of Carson McCullers; ``Faulkner apart, the most remarkable novelist the South has produced seems to me Carson McCullers (Allen 208). Her work is marked with the feeling of loneliness coming from her lonely childhood (spiritual isolation is the basis of most of her themes) and the music she always wanted to study. She wrote novels, short stories and dramas. In all she received the recognition of both the public, her fellows writers, and criticsRead MoreThe American Of American Literature1425 Words   |  6 Pagesstyles and subject themes of American literature. â€Å"To be a good American means to understand the simple principles on which our nation was founded, to observe them in our daily life and fight for them†.- New bold Morris. Originally Lula Carson Smith, Carson McCullers were born on February 19, 1917, in Columbus, Georgia. Her Mother’s grandfather was a planter and confederate was a hero. Her father was a watchmaker and jeweler of French Huguenot descent. From the age of ten she took piano lessons; whenRead MoreCarson Mccullers Themes Of Loneliness And Isolation1356 Words   |  6 Pages More than half a century later, Carson McCullers’ themes of loneliness and isolation still speak to today’s readers. The work â€Å"Reflections In a Golden Eye†of Carson McCullers drew a lot of criticism, but was anything but unsuccessful. Carson McCullers’ problems with her health and family brought upon manors of writing, she expressed her loneliness and isolation, showing issues relating to bisexuality, infidelity, hostility, and murder. Lastly she made a large impact in the readers and otherRead MorePost Modern Er Carson Mccullers1869 Words   |  8 Pagesreturn to normal life. However, with the desire to return to normal, Americans in the 1950’s had a hard time determining what they would consider normal. One early post-modern author, Carson McCullers, focused her writing on the feeling of isolation and loneliness that American citizens were facing at the time. Carson McCullers’s novels and short stories contain themes of isolation, death, hope, and dark humor, which are all symbolic of the hardships humans faced in the post-modern time period andRead MoreThe Contribution Of The Civil Rights Movement1226 Words   |  5 Pagesconsidered for an honor. Mary Blackmon started women’s athletics at CSU. Frank Brown , former president at CSU, transformed CSU from a commuter college into the massive university it is today. Thomas Whitley was the founding president at CSU. Carson McCullers was a well-known author in Columbus. All these people did something great for CSU. However, I believe John Townsend, the first African American stude nt at CSU, is the one who deserves a statue . The Civil Rights movement was an incredible Read MoreWithout Connection to Others There Is No Me1863 Words   |  8 Pageson an individual’s sense of belonging include identity and heritage.  It is a part of humanity which makes us desire to want to belong to a social, religious or even racial group which ultimately forms the person we become. Renowned author Carlson McCullers reflects these ideas. â€Å"I think the idea of wanting to belong haunts every child. And not only children. I think it is the primary question. Who am I? What am I? And where do I belong?†It is of grave importance that we understand we are simply mereRead MoreFrank Brown s A Proper Recognition1208 Words   |  5 Pagesin contention for a statue would be Carson McCullers. McCullers had her share of national accomplishments. She won many awards for her literary works during her lifetime including The Heart of a Lonely Hunter and The Member of the Wedding. McCullers accomplished nationwide succe ss and was considered one of the pioneers for women writers. She was also a role model for those in society deemed as â€Å"misfits.† Although, this is indeed a great achievement, McCullers’ life was not dedicated to bettering