By: Altavia Lowe
1/21/11
WILLIAM FAULKNER
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
WILLIAM
FAULKNER
Digital Image
Biography
 William Cuthbert Faulkner was born September 25th 1897.
He was one of the best Nobel prized short story authors in
the 20th 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: