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The Complex Relationship Between War And Faulkner

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Ryan Henry Carol Bove ENGLIT 0325 23 November 2015 The Complex Relationship between War and Faulkner American writer William Faulkner is considered one of the pioneers of the short story. His works detailing vivid war stories and life in the rural American south provides the reader with a realistic sense of what American society was like in the 1900’s. One of his more popular short stories, “Two Soldiers” poses two interesting questions for the reader. What exactly drove a teenager named Pete Grier to drop everything and enlist in World War II? How do the effects of enlisting in a war change the lives of those around you? In order to answer these questions, this essay will detail Faulkner’s private life, the historical context of the time period this story was written, and a personal interpretation of the text. Understanding Faulkner’s upbringing is a key component in discovering how his stories had such a realistic feel to them. On September 25, 1897, Faulkner was born in the small rural town of New Albany, Mississippi. He held various occupations, including a railroad financier, businessman, lawyer, farmer, and writer in his later years. His affinity with writing and reading began at the age of 12. His mother and grandmother helped birth this interest in Faulkner because they were both very heavy readers. Faulkner’s natural intelligence caused school to bore him and he dropped out of high school without earning a diploma. He then began working after at his

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