By: Altavia Lowe 1/21/11

William Faulkner

Interesting Facts  The quality and quantity of Faulkner's literary output were achieved despite a lifelong drinking problems.  Faulkner received the 1949 Nobel Prize for Literature for "his powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel.  He also won two National Book Awards, first for his Collected Stories in 1951 and once again for his novel A Fable in 1955.

Themes Of Works  Faulkner's writings often deal with the search for meaning, racism, the connection between past and present, and with social and moral burdens. Much of his writing was drawn from the history of the South and of his family.  One of Faulkner's primary themes is the abuse of blacks by the Southern whites.

Setting of “As I Lay Dying”  Addie Bundren, the wife and mother to a poor white farm family, is on her deathbed. Friends and family members gather around to comfort her and to prepare for her funeral. On the way to Jefferson which is in his fictional county of Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, each member of the Bundren family narrates part of the story and relates what happens during the journey, or what has happened in the past. Each of the narrators has his or her own reason for making the trip.

“As I Lay Dying”  "Riches is nothing in the face of the Lord, for He can see into the heart." - William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying  "It's because I'm alone. If I could just feel it, it would be different, because I would not be alone. But if I were not alone, everybody would know it. And he could do so much for me, and then I would not be alone. Then I could be all right alone." - William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying  "Because it is not us that can judge our sins or know what is sin in the Lord's eyes. She has had a hard life, but so does every woman. But you'd think from the way she talked that she knew more about sin and salvation than the Lord God Himself, than them who have strove and labored with the sin in this human world." - William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying

Analysis of One Passage  "Riches is nothing in the face of the Lord, for He can see into the heart." - William Faulkner, As I Lay Dying  Faulkner is saying that no matter much money or riches you inherit here on earth in the after life or death that doesn't matter at all especially in the eyes of God, because God doesn’t see that perspective of your life.

Gothic Romantic or Southern Gothic  William Faulkner themes surrounded the topic of death, setting a dark mood in most of his works such as A Rose For Emily, The Sound and the Fury, and the novel that I’ve presented to you today, As I Lay Dying.

Paxton Gordon

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Biography  William Cuthbert Faulkner was born September 25 th He was one of the best Nobel prized short story authors in the 20 th century. Faulkner had a natural desire for oil painting and writing poetry by the time he turn 5 years of age, while other kids around this time preferred outside playing. By 1940 his writing career took a higher rank when he moved to California to be a screen writer of movies such as “To have and to have Not,” and “The big sleep.” Faulkner also had trouble maintaining relationships with people, mostly woman due to his drinking ability.

Common Themes  His most well known themes is Racism, Death, and Secrecy.  In Faulkner’s short story “Barn Burning” Secrecy is a theme because Abners son is forced to help cover up his fathers criminal acts.  Racism is also a theme in “Barn Burning,” It show the working status of Black men as house servants in that time zone and refers to them as the “N” word often.

Passage from Barn Burning  "You're getting to be a man. You got to learn. You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain't going to have any blood to stick to you. Do you think either of them, any man there this morning would? Don't you know all they wanted was a chance to get at me because they knew I had them beat? Eh?"

Facts  Faulkner had a habit of writing notes for his stories (such as The Fable) out on the walls of his office.  After having and affair with Joan William. Joan wrote a screenplay about their relationship in a story called “The Wintering.”  Even though Faulkner was alcoholic, he never admitted to drinking and writing at the same time. He claims that he did not believe in using alcohol to influence the way he wrote.

Passage Analysis:  Abner is an accused Barn burner, while he is in court his son Sarty is called up to be question. When Sarty is questioned he almost lets it slip that his father was guilty. This passage take place later on when his father is telling him that he should never “snitch” on his own family because that is all he has. He was also referring to how no one likes him and are looking for reasons to punish him.

Don’t go gentle into that goodnight by Dylan Thomas (passage)  Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night.  Analysis: