The Ballad of the Sad Cafe

Carson McCullers is one of the most prominent authors of the Southern Gothic genre; other practitioners include Flannery O’Connor and William Faulkner. The Southern Gothic—a genre that evolved from 19th century Gothic literature—typically features emotional and psychological disturbances, which are reflected in uncomfortable scenarios and settings: “Characteristics of Southern Gothic include the presence of irrational, horrific, and transgressive thoughts, desires, and impulses; grotesque characters; dark humor, and an overall angst-ridden sense of alienation” (Bjerre, Thomas Aervold. “Southern Gothic Literature.” Oxford Research Encyclopedias, 28 June 2017). 

McCullers found success as a writer at an early age, publishing her first short story, “Wunderkind,” at the age of 17 and her first novel, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, in her early twenties. Drawing on her own experiences of alienation, McCullers made loneliness, particularly in love, a central theme in her writing. In the collection The Ballad of the Sad Café and Other Stories, many characters grapple with feeling alone, even when in a romantic relationship. From the love triangle in “The Ballad of the Sad Café” to the married couple in “A Domestic Dilemma,” characters struggle to connect with each other.