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Biographical Criticism In The Bear By William Faulkner

Decent Essays

“He had listened to it for years: the long legend of corncribs rifled, of shoats and grown pigs and even calves carried bodily into the woods and devoured” (Faulkner 152). The story that was given for the leadership project was The Bear by William Faulkner and is being looked at through the biographical criticism lens. The author, William was alive from September 25th, 1897 to July 6th, 1962, he spent most of his life down in the South and “came from an old southern family” (nobelprize.org). William was born and raised in Albany, Mississippi by a slave named Caroline Barr from the time he was born to the time he left his house. Due to him being raised in the South and having Caroline raise him, influenced many of his stories and political opinions on race. The bear in the story and Sam Fathers both represent people and unreachable yet desired things in William Faulkner’s life.
Sam Fathers is based on Caroline Barr from William’s life. Sam Fathers symbolizes Caroline Barr in the author’s life. Caroline Barr, a slave, “she raised him from birth until the day he left home and was fundamental for his development”, she was also the one to teach William the differences between right and wrong. In the story, Sam Fathers is teaching the boy fundamental and well needed tasks at the time, an example of this is him teaching the boy how to shoot and hold a gun by informing him that “[he wants him] to learn how to [shoot]” (Faulkner 152). The simple comparison is quite clear, yes

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