1

Esther Kim
Jennifer Rodrick
Queer Studies 115
14 November 2016

Rough Draft
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 LGBT 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 LGBT.
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 (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 sign
that this is a subtle sign that Kenny is romantically interested in him. Angel Matos, a blogger

2
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 drived
by the idea of being alone. I think its even harder for the older members of the LGBTQ
community to feel like they have the opportunity to find that connection. People want to connect
with others and sometimes itll seem like its actually there when theres really nothing. 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 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

3
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 minority's are constantly dealing with this sense 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(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. 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

4
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!(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.
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. The book, A Single Man, is a beautiful novel that creatively and
almost harshly highlights the common human fears.

Works Cited
Isherwood, Christopher. A Single Man. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1964. Print (Hardcover
edition).

5
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.
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.