The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe

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The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe

Throughout the novel The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers, there is

an evident recurring theme. Ever-present in the story is a feeling of unrequited love,

illustrated through looking at the parallels of the intertwined relationships between three separate individuals. Miss Amelia Evans, Cousin Lymon Willis, and Marvin Macy, are the players involved in this grotesque love triangle. The feelings they respectively have for each other are what drives the story, and are significant enough that the prosperity of entire town hinges upon them.

First to come of the couplings between these main characters, was the 10 day

marriage of Marvin Macy and Amelia Evans. Previously notorious as a womanizer and

town miscreant, meeting Amelia made Martin wish to be a better man. He cleaned up his

act, and devoted his entire attention to his love for Amelia. Amelia, however, felt no

connection with this man, and sought a relationship only out of economic advantage.

When this finally became clear to Marvin, when he was once and for all removed of the

illusion that his love was returned, it was already too late. Amelia had stripped him of

everything he owned. He took refuge in criminal activity, and was sent to prison. His

love was not returned, and he suffered greatly for it.

Many years down the line, there came into Miss Amelia’s life a man named Lymon

Willis. He was a distant cousin, not to mention a deformed hunchback, ...

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