Loneliness

 

The short story of Some People are Meant to be Alone is about a man called Uncle Arthur. Uncle Arthur lives up on the hill in his old run-down house. "No, it was the fact that he lived all alone; alone in the old, dilapidated house on the hill, a house we could see when the canes were cut, a house that loomed gaunt and cockeyed against the brooding background of the two countable isolation" (Frank Collymore, Some People are Meant to Live Alone). The main character Bill decided to go up to Uncle Arthurs's house to find out why his mother uses to say he was so horrible to be with. That is why nobody ever wants to be around him and why he lives alone. Bill knocked on the door and Arthur invited him upstairs to talk. Arthur told Bill a story about a man that he once knew by the name of Jones. Jones was once married for a few years and hated every second of it. "Arthur, when the story begins, had been married four or five years and he was desperately unhappy. His wife was one of the nagging sort" (Frank Collymore, Some People are Meant to Live Alone). So, he then lived alone instead and preferred it.  

 

This story showed that loneliness isn’t always a bad thing some people prefer it. Uncle Arthur preferred to live alone and be with himself. It’s not that he didn’t like other people, but he enjoyed the company of just himself. This story showed the perspective of only one side of the story in the beginning. Bill's mother thought that Uncle Arthur was a cranky old man and that is why he was lonely. She thought that nobody wanted to be around him and that is what Bill was expecting to find. 

 

         When Bill knocked on Uncle Arthur's door and Arthur answered he was very surprised. Uncle Arthur was a soft-spoken old man who was very polite. Many people who enjoy the company of themselves are good listeners, they’re very observant, and they typically think before they speak. Bill was not expecting any of this. Uncle Arthur told Bill about his failed marriage and how he enjoyed life better when he just had to rely on himself. I can agree that I sometimes enjoy my companionship compared to being with other people. There is something peaceful to be able to rely on your thoughts and actions.   

 

 

At the end of the story, it says that Bill, later on, got married. The marriage was a failure from the very beginning, and it didn’t last. Bill's wife was constantly nagging at him, so Bill decided to leave. Not long after Uncle Arthur had passed away. Uncle Arthur left Bill his house and his sole heir. Bill decided to fix up the old house with the money that Uncle Arthur left him. Bill thought to himself that Some People are Meant to be Alone. The story came full circle which I thought was very unique about this story compared to some of the stories we have read this semester. It is okay to live alone and be lonely. Sometimes loneliness is better than having people around you constantly. Many of the other stories talked about loneliness as being dull and depressing. This story takes another look perspective of being lonely. It’s not always sad and depressing, it can be peaceful and rewarding.