Loneliness

During the 1920’s and 1930’s, loneliness is a common theme in much of the literature and in many of the films set during this period. After World War One, many people found themselves with nothing to hold on to and with no one to go to. This was the period of the Great Depression. Loneliness is present in all kinds of people, rich and poor. Gatsby is rich and often surrounded by many people, yet he is lonely. George and Lennie are poor and only have each other. Candy, Crooks and May are poor and lonely.

In ‘The Great Gatsby’, which is set in the Jazz Age, Gatsby often gives big parties but he is alwaysseen standing alone even though he is surrounded by many people. Most of the people who attend his parties are people he doesn’t even know. Nick Carraway is the only person who tries to understand him and who finally takes responsibility for his funeral after the tragic turn of events. After all those parties and all those people, Nick is the only one who doesn’t abandon him and who recognizes the extraordinary person that Gatsby was. Nick is thankful that his last words to Gatsby were,

‘They’re a rotten crowd. You’re better than the whole bunch put together.’

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When Antonopolous dies, Singer is desperate and the intense loneliness he feels finds no release. Mayella’s desperate act has tragic consequences for Tom. Mick Kelly realizes too late that Singer had reached out for her help at a critical moment in his life. Singer is a deaf mute and although nobody can really understand him he manages to find ways of helping others through their loneliness. As for himself, the only companion with whom he feels able to communicate, is Spiros Antonopolous, another deaf mute. For this reason he seems rather useless on the farm, his capacity to work has diminished and therefore he isn’t needed anymore. This film too is set in the 1930’s, in Maycomb, a small town in the deep south. Although she has many brothers and sisters she is lonely because no one takes the time to talk to her. He is an old man who has lived at the ranch nearly all his life. When Tom Robinson, a negro worker passes by her house, she always has a job for him to do. Candy has an old dog which is his only true companion. This story too is full of lonely characters. May, George, Lennie and Crooks can all be thought of as lonely people but I feel that Candy is the loneliest.

From these films, two main aspects struck me.

Approximate Word count = 785
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)

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