preview

William Faulkner Research Paper

Decent Essays

Literature was and still is a very important piece in American history. “American literature was shaped by the history of the country that produced it.” The 1900s was an important time during history. The early 1900s was consumed by World War I. Many people were affected by the war and the lasting impact it left on them, so many writings were about the war. These people are sometimes considered the “Lost Generation”. Many American writers went to Europe and wrote from there because they were so inspired to join the literary culture of foreign cities, like Paris for example. However, some American authors believed that if you wanted true American literature you would need to be in America. These nationally-rooted people were called regionalists. …show more content…

These authors were very realistic and believed that people needed to experience what was truly going on during this time in order to write about it. “Realism as a literary movement in the United States went far beyond regionalism in its concern for accuracy in portraying social conditions and human motivation “(Lit Book 419)”. One of them was William Faulkner’s, “The Sound and the Fury”, and this novel was many people’s favorite. Faulkner uses the “American South as a metaphor for a civilization in decline. “(loc.gov)”. In this novel he portrayed a family’s struggle during the war and made the readers live in the shoes of the characters. William Faulkner had a lasting influence on regionalism in which is still seen …show more content…

In his literature. his southern gothic writing style comes alive. In the short story “A Rose for Emily”, it’s portrayed with the small-town setting, the social values that are forever changing, how people pursue daily life, and the exertion they undergo to find joy in it.” (American Lit) People can truly feel like they are living in the old-time South through Faulkner’s writing. While “A Rose for Emily” was one of Faulkner’s first public and famous short stories, he also wrote many more that are very successful. As mentioned previously, his most successful work was his short story, “The Sound and the Fury”. Many consider this a milestone in American Literature. One of the most common themes seen in Faulkner’s writing was very dark, deep and detailed. Many say that Faulkner was a “shy and troubled boy who became a shy and troubled man. Throughout his life- from the years of apprenticeship through the years of great innovation and achievement to the years of painful decline-his manners tended to be formal, his statements formulaic and his life ceremonial. Like his life, Faulkner’s art serves the double purpose of deception and expression.” (1306, Red) Another common theme seen throughout Faulkner’s short stories was that the words force the reader to piece together events from a random and broken up series of impressions experienced by multiple narrators. He also

Get Access