"Miss Lonelyhearts" Characters Analysis

List of Characters

Name	Role
Miss Lonelyhearts	Protagonist
Shrike	Antagonist
Betty	Love Interest
Peter	Co-worker
Doyle	Co-worker
Ned	Co-worker

Role Identification

Miss Lonelyhearts, the central character in Nathanael West's novel "Miss Lonelyhearts," takes on the role of an advice columnist. As the protagonist, Miss Lonelyhearts is responsible for answering the letters of the desperate and suffering readers seeking advice for their struggles in life. This role initially gives her a sense of purpose but ultimately leads to her emotional downfall.

Character Descriptions

Miss Lonelyhearts

Miss Lonelyhearts is a young and idealistic man working as an advice columnist for a local newspaper. She initially believes in the power of compassion and empathy to uplift and guide her readers. But as the burdens of her job mount, she becomes increasingly disillusioned and frustrated. Miss Lonelyhearts is portrayed as a sensitive and sympathetic character, deeply affected by the letters she receives.

Shrike

Shrike, also known as Mr. Shrike, is Miss Lonelyhearts' boss and serves as the antagonist in the story. He is a cynical and sadistic individual who takes pleasure in manipulating Miss Lonelyhearts. Shrike represents the harsh reality of the world and challenges Miss Lonelyhearts' idealistic views.

Betty

Betty is a love interest for Miss Lonelyhearts. She works at the same newspaper as a secretary and shares a close friendship with Miss Lonelyhearts. Betty represents a ray of hope in Miss Lonelyhearts' life, providing moments of respite from the emotional toll of her work.

Peter, Doyle, and Ned

Peter, Doyle, and Ned are Miss Lonelyhearts' co-workers at the newspaper. They provide brief glimpses into the lives of other people working in the same environment. Though they do not play significant roles individually, their interactions with Miss Lonelyhearts help highlight the contrast between her elevated moral standards and the callousness of the modern world.

Character Traits

Miss Lonelyhearts

• Empathetic: Miss Lonelyhearts deeply feels the pain and suffering of her readers, which fuels her dedication to helping them.
• Idealistic: She believes in the power of compassion and strives to make a difference in people's lives through her advice.
• Frustrated: The increasing weight of her readers' problems and her inability to solve them lead to a mounting sense of frustration and despair.
• Emotional: Miss Lonelyhearts is highly sensitive and emotionally affected by the letters she receives, which takes a toll on her mental well-being.

Shrike

• Cynical: Shrike has a dark and pessimistic view of the world, which he imposes on Miss Lonelyhearts, further eroding her idealism.
• Manipulative: He takes pleasure in exploiting Miss Lonelyhearts' vulnerabilities to exert control over her.
• Sadistic: Shrike derives pleasure from the suffering and vulnerability of others, finding entertainment in their pain.

Betty

• Supportive: As a friend and love interest, Betty provides much-needed emotional support to Miss Lonelyhearts, offering a temporary respite from her struggles.
• Kind-hearted: Betty is compassionate and caring, embodying the qualities that Miss Lonelyhearts seeks to promote through her advice column.

Character Background

Miss Lonelyhearts is a young man working as a journalist in a newspaper during the Great Depression. She chooses to write an advice column under the pseudonym "Miss Lonelyhearts," aiming to help others in their moments of despair and isolation. Having experienced personal tragedy herself, Miss Lonelyhearts is determined to alleviate the suffering of her readers and find meaning in her own life through her work.

Character Arcs

Miss Lonelyhearts

Miss Lonelyhearts' character arc evolves from a well-intentioned and idealistic advice columnist to a disillusioned and emotionally broken individual. As the weight of her readers' troubles becomes overwhelming, she gradually loses faith in her ability to bring about any meaningful change. Her downward spiral eventually leads her to confront the harsh realities of the world, forcing her to question the limits of empathy and the true nature of suffering.

Relationships

Miss Lonelyhearts and Shrike

The relationship between Miss Lonelyhearts and Shrike serves as a central source of conflict. Shrike manipulates and taunts Miss Lonelyhearts, exploiting her emotional vulnerability. Their dynamic reflects the clash between Miss Lonelyhearts' idealism and Shrike's cynical worldview.

Miss Lonelyhearts and Betty

Miss Lonelyhearts and Betty share a close friendship, providing emotional support to one another within the newspaper office. Betty represents a glimmer of hope and a potential romantic interest for Miss Lonelyhearts, offering a connection that briefly counterbalances the agony of her work.

Miss Lonelyhearts and Readers

Miss Lonelyhearts' relationship with her readers is one of trust and dependence. She strives to offer guidance and comfort through her advice column, but ultimately realizes the limitations of her role in bringing true solace to their lives.

In conclusion, Miss Lonelyhearts is a complex character driven by her desire to alleviate the suffering of others but eventually succumbs to her own emotional turmoil and the harsh realities of the world. Through her relationships with Shrike, Betty, and her readers, her character arc highlights the challenges and limitations of empathy and the weight of personal expectations in an unforgiving society.