loneliness in the member of the wedding

Grant 1
Catie Grant
English 102
Lagrone
April 13, 2003
Human Loneliness and Isolation Caused by Miscommunication in The Member of the Wedding
Miscommunication and human feelings of loneliness constitute major themes in Carson McCuller’s novella The Member of the Wedding. Critics like Diana Trilling believe that “Adolescence is the theme…”(406), but McCuller’s use of an adolescent main character named Frankie is only to exaggerate the theme of isolation which is felt especially strongly by teenagers. McCullers describes Frankie’s feelings of isolation and loneliness by saying that she is a “…member of nothing in the world.”(1), and “unjoined”(1), but Frankie is a member of the human race. Barbara A. White believes that all people feel isolated. She calls the feeling “…the universal separateness from other humans.”(126). Frankie feels lonely even though she is a member of a misfit trio including her six year old cousin John Henry, and her African Amer...