The Ballad of the Sad Café

3. Loneliness and social life 4. The theme of love: analyse the triangle relationship present in the ballad:

-Miss Amelia, CL, Marvin Macy (lover or beloved) -

Love= force, often strong enough to change people’s attitudes and

behaviors -Love= not necessarily reasonable or understandable to others -Love= central theme -Marvin Macy LOVES Amelia

love changes him in a gentle person -Amelia LOVES Cousin Lymon

he teaches her how to love (like he taught Marvin) -Cousin Lymon LOVES Marvin

he wants to be this man in his behavior -Tragic: no one succeeds at loving or bei ng loved in return

novel represents the impossibility of reciprocal love