In this article, we will delve into the fascinating world of Man alone, exploring its many facets and its relevance in today's society. From its origins to its presence in daily life, Man alone has been the subject of debate, study and admiration over time. Through this journey, we will seek to understand its impact in different areas, from culture to technology, including its influence on politics and the economy. We will learn how Man alone has marked significant milestones in history and shaped the way we perceive the world around us. Likewise, we will examine its role today and projections about its evolution in the future. Soon, we will explore the various perspectives and reflections that Man alone raises in society, opening the door to an enlightening debate about its relevance and meaning in the contemporary context.
The man alone is a literary stock character. Usually an antihero, he is similar to the Byronic hero. The man alone tends to epitomise existentialism, and, in the words of the academic E. H. McCormick is "the solitary, rootless nonconformist, who in a variety of forms crops up persistently in New Zealand writing".[1]
Men alone figure frequently in the literature of newly settled or recently colonised countries such as Australia and especially New Zealand,[2] and the term is likely to have found popularity with the publication of the "Great Kiwi Novel", Man Alone by John Mulgan in 1939 (this novel's title itself originated in a quotation from Ernest Hemingway's To Have and Have Not).[3]