1. What was Carson McCullers' given name, and why did she change it?

2. How did Carson's mother influence her as a youngster?

3. Why did Carson go to New York at 17? What happened to temporarily thwart her plans?

4. Briefly describe the events of Carson's marriage to Reeves McCullers. What might have been some of the reasons Carson and Reeves could not make their marriage successful? How did their relationship finally end?

5. From what kinds of health problems did Carson suffer? What kinds of personal habits did she have that might have contributed to or exacerbated these problems? How old was she when she died?

6. According to Carson, how did she begin to write? What kinds of pieces did she first produce?

7. What does Carson believe is the nature of loneliness?

8. What does Carson believe is the primary source of evil, and how can one cast this out?

9. Describe the "flowering" of Carson's first novel, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.

10. Why did Carson not wish to visit a deaf-mute convention while she was writing The Heart is a Lonely Hunter?

11. Why, according to Carson, does one become a writer? How does she relate this to herself?

12. Discuss the various characters in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter in relation to Carson McCullers' life and personality. With which of her traits might Carson have endowed each of the characters in the novel? Which situations in the novel might have been based on Carson's own experiences?

13. Although Carson had at one time in her life wanted to be a concert pianist, poor health compelled her to choose writing instead. How does Carson exemplify the adage that "you should play the instrument you have"?

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