The Life of William Faulkner

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses how Faulkner's life in the South, his family and the people and places that he knew all contributed to the symbols, situations and storylines in his works. The paper illustrates how Faulkner was torn between the elegant legends of the Old South with its genteel class system and traditional values and the decaying post-war Mississippi that he lived in. The paper then shows how this paradox is the basis for many of his works. The writer explains why he believes that Faulkner remains relevant to college students.

From the Paper:

"The Columbia Encyclopedia states that writer William Faulkner is one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Born in Mississippi, Faulkner was fascinated with the heritage and legends of the South. Columbia Encyclopedia claims, "A brilliant literary technician, Faulkner was master of a rhetorical, highly symbolic style. He was awarded the 1949 Nobel Prize in literature." Some of his best-known novels include The Sound and the Fury (1929), A Rose for Emily (1930), and Barn Burning (1938). One of the basic themes that he explores in his short stories, essays, and poems is the loss of traditional values and the decay and anguish of the post-Civil War South, using the imaginary Yoknapatawpha County as a small, symbolic representation of Southern life. Faulkner develops this theme in stories such as "Barn Burning" and "A Rose for Emily." It can be argued that the stories that Faulkner wrote are greatly influenced by events and environmental factors in his personal life. By examining the life of William Faulkner, the reader can see how his life influenced his writing."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Faulkner, William. "Barn Burning" The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ninth Ed. Eds. Booth, Hunter, and Mayo. New York: Norton and Company., 2005: 710-722.
• Faulkner, William. "A Rose for Emily" The Norton Introduction to Literature. Ninth Ed. Eds. Booth, Hunter, and Mayo. New York: Norton and company., 2005: 594-601.
• Faulkner, William. "William Faulkner Quotes" Brainy Quote. 04/01/09 Http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/w/william_faulkners.html>.
• The Concise Columbia Encyclopedia is licensed from Columbia University Press. Copyright (c) 1995 by Columbia University Press.
• Jehlen, Myra. Class and Character in Faulkner's South. New York: Columbia University Press, 1976. 19-46.

More papers on The Life of William Faulkner:

• Essay # 93967 : "The Works of William Faulkner"
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• Book Review # 148096 : "The rite of passage in William Faulkner's "The Bear"

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