Confined Space Perpetual Loneliness

Spatial Criticism as a newly developed literary theory mainly concerns with the problems of landscape and space, the social properties of space and cultural properties of space in literary works. The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The Member of the Wedding, and Clock Without Hands are American southern novelist Carson McCullers's three major novels, which are showing more and more research values in recent years.This thesis attempts to interpret these three novels from the perspective of Spatial Criticism. Through the analysis of the characters'living predicament and loneliness in outside spaces, the author shows that space as a place of power execution has the functions of controlling and manipulation. Human beings are always confined and disciplined in various spaces. And through the analysis of the characters'failure in searching for ways to get rid of loneliness, it is revealed that in a confined space loneliness is inevitable and perpetual.This thesis consists of five parts. Chapter One mainly tells a brief survey of Carson McCullers and her three major works, literature review and thesis statement.Chapter Two is the theoretical basis of the whole analysis. Basic information about Spatial Criticism and Michel Foucault's space theory are discussed in detail.Chapter Three mainly analyzes the characters'living predicament and loneliness in the outside space with reference to social and cultural elements like race, class, sexual orientation, etc. Through these analyses, the confinement and discipline of space towards human beings and the loneliness thus produced are clearly shown.Chapter Four analyzes people's searching for different ways to get rid of loneliness but fall into deeper loneliness at last. Therefore, loneliness is inevitable and perpetual.Chapter Five is a conclusion in which the purpose and theme of this essay is restated. Through the overall study, it is hoped that we can have a new and better understanding about McCullers's loneliness, the oppression of spaces towards people, and the inevitability and permanence of loneliness in confined spaces.