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Esther Kim
Jennifer Rodrick
Queer Studies 115
14 November 2016

Project Text
Its human nature to fear isolation; from the moment were born to the moment we die,
we as a species crave affection. It doesnt matter if its a romantic or platonic connection because
at the very core of it all, social connections fulfill that yearning for affection. The fear of
isolation is prominent theme within Christopher Isherwoods novel, A Single Man. The main
character, George, is a gay English professor living in California during the 1960s who struggles
with depression after the loss of his lover, Jim. Throughout the novel George tries and fails to
stave off his loneliness by attempting for form connections with different characters. The fear of
isolation and failure go hand in hand especially within the LGBTQ community because members
of the gay community, much like any human being, are terrified of ending up alone which is only
heightened by the fat that theyre already a minority. Although it is a bit morbid, the themes of
isolation and failure greatly coincide with the idea of the LGBTQ identity because it plays off of
the repressed fears of identifying as LGBTQ.
The fear of isolation can cause people to over-analyze any and all social interactions with
others. George is a perfect example of overreading brief interactions like when Kenny Potter, a
student of his, gave him a pencil sharpener which caused the professor to blush and act as if he
has been offered a rose (Isherwood 81). This small exchange between the two characters is
highly romanticized in Georges eyes because hes over-reading the situation; he feels as if this is
a subtle sign that Kenny is romantically interested in him. Its quite obvious that this interaction

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wasnt meant to be read in between the lines, especially when Kenny later states that he already
lost his sharpener while George held onto his. Angel Matos, a blogger dedicated to reviewing
works of literature, comments on how George feels as if his sexual orientation and lack of social
connections, ultimately forcing George to desperately read in between the lines of each situation:
His sexuality pushes him to feel a desire that is nearly impossible to quenchthus forcing
George to live vicariously through small interactions, touches, and brief exchanges that he has
with other men (Matos). I feel like this happens not only to George, but to everyone who craves
a romantic connection. Theres that feeling of hope that swells up whenever something seems
even the slightest bit romantic; I think that feeling is driven by the idea of being alone. Its even
harder for the older members of the gay community to feel like they have the opportunity to find
that connection. Yuting Pu, a design specialist from SAP Labs in Palo Alto, used her skills to
create an image that compares living situations of older LGBTQ adults with heterosexual adults.
This image highlights the stark difference between queer elders and straight elders. Its a rather
depressing truth especially when its well known that it becomes difficult to live on your own the
older you get. People want to connect with others no matter the age and because of that
desperation, itll seem like theres a
meaningful connection when its all in
your head. I feel like it happens more
often in the LGBTQ community because
there isnt a clear indication if someone is
gay, bisexual, etc. so itll have to be
through subtly. But if they get the wrong

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idea, the feeling a failure and embarrassment drives the person away from trying again because
rejection and assumption hurts.
Throughout the book, George is constantly failing. He fails to connect with Charley on a
platonic nature, he fails to connect with Kenny on a romantic level, he even fails to live happily
when he dies of a heart attack in his sleep. There's this sense of failure that follows George
throughout the novel which is something that plagues us all. George can't ever actually achieve
anything that he wants and that's a heartbreaking truth. His overwhelming sense of failure stems
from his own personal beliefs; George feels that by being a gay man, being part of a minority
actually makes life harder. He's constantly struggling and he's constantly putting himself down
because of his own identity: He makes it overtly clear that his nationality, his way of thinking,
his sexuality, and even his age puts him in a position in which he is minority (Matos). I think a
lot of people can relate to George because in American society, the minorities are constantly
dealing with this feeling that they can't do anything, especially with the majority ruling over
them. George goes on a tangent in the book about being a part the minority and this is the only
time the audience actually sees George being passionate about something. But even though he's
passionate about this issue, he reprimands himself for being so emotional because he feels like
it's embarrassing to do so. He calls himself a ...silly enthusiastic old prof, rambling on,
disregarding the clock(Isherwood 73) because he feels that by being so passionate, he
actually makes himself look like a fool because none of his students are a part of his minority.
There are other minorities within his class like Lois Yamaguchi, who spent her childhood in a
Japanese internment camp, but the problem is that none of them are gay; they may be oppressed
by the majority but its a different type of oppression. At the very least, Lois minority is actually
acknowledged by the general public while everyone else tiptoes around Georges sexual

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orientation. His anger, his failure to be accepted, all of this contributes to Georges sense of
isolation.
As a whole, society can be extremely cruel because it can make individuals feel as if
theres something wrong with them. George feels as if hes ostracized by the general society
because he is gay. John Self, a blogger who reposts his book reviews onto a blog called
Asylum, talks about this feeling of isolation within his review of The Single Man. Self claims
that George ... nurses resentment against a society that considers him, a gay man, to be
unspeakable, a monster (Self). Theres always been a stigma against the people who
werent a part of the majority whether it was gender, race, or sexual orientation. There were
times in society where one minority faced harsher judgement than the other but it still affected
the other groups as well. Isherwood comments on this within the book when George lectures
about the minorities and how all minorities are in competition: each one proclaims that its
sufferings are the worst and its wrongs are the blackest. And the more they all hate, and the more
theyre all persecuted, the nastier they become!(Isherwood 72). I feel like this is true especially
within the actual LGBTQ community because since there are so many different sexual identities,
each identity feels like they have the right to be the face of the LGBTQ community. Some people
say that bisexuality doesnt exist and that people who are bisexual are either straight or gay.
There are others that say that being asexual isnt actually a sexual orientation but rather its an
excuse to be a part of the LGBTQ community without commitment. Theres just this hyper
aggression that exists within the LGBTQ community and it can create a hostile environment for
people who need support that they cant get from the majority. This competitive feeling
heightens the fear of failure because if they cant be recognized by their own community, then
how will they ever be acknowledged by the general public?

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Theres evidently a lot of themes within the book A Single Man but the two most
prominent themes, a fear of isolation and a fear of failure, are the ones that are the easiest to
relate to especially with the LGBTQ identity. Its hard to feel accepted and its hard to feel like
you can actually find someone who you can relate to. It comes from the fear of isolation that
drives people to develop any sort of connection even if it means to fabricate a deeper meaning
within each social interaction. If that wasnt enough, theres that hot flash of humiliation and the
twisting, piercing sensation in your chest when all of your effort comes crashing down around
you. Fear can cause anyone to become reclusive and draw back into themselves. The book, A
Single Man, is a beautiful novel that creatively and almost harshly highlights the common human
fears. I think Isherwood did an amazing job of showing the terrors that come with as identifying
with the LGBTQ community.

Works Cited
Isherwood, Christopher. A Single Man. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1964. Print (Hardcover
edition).
Matos, Angel Daniel. "CONNECTION FAILED: AN ANALYSIS OF CHRISTOPHER
ISHERWOODS [A SINGLE MAN]." Web log post. The Ever and Ever That Fiction
Allows. Angel Matos, 22 Jan. 2014. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.

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Pu, Yuting. Social Isolation in LGBT Older Adults. Digital image. N.p., Autumn 2015. Web. 14
Nov. 2016.
Self, John. "CHRISTOPHER ISHERWOOD: A SINGLE MAN." Web log post. The Asylum.
John Self, 25 Jan. 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2016.