BiographyBiography

Born Sept.23 1897 in Albany, MississippiBorn Sept.23 1897 in Albany, MississippiMoved to Oxford, Mississippi in 1902;Moved to Oxford, Mississippi in 1902; artistic talents (drawing & poetry writing)artistic talents (drawing & poetry writing)Dropped out of school in 1915; went to Dropped out of school in 1915; went to

New Haven in 1918New Haven in 1918Went to Canada--cadet training in Royal Went to Canada--cadet training in Royal

Air Force; WWI ended before he finished Air Force; WWI ended before he finished training--went back to Oxfordtraining--went back to Oxford

TimeTime

“Time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels: only when the clock stops does time come to life.”

William Faulkner

Stream of ConsciousnessStream of ConsciousnessNarration that mimics the ebb and flow Narration that mimics the ebb and flow

of thoughts of the waking mindof thoughts of the waking mindUninhibited by grammar, syntax or Uninhibited by grammar, syntax or

logical transitionslogical transitionsA mixture of all levels of awareness– A mixture of all levels of awareness–

sensations, thoughts, memories, sensations, thoughts, memories, associations, reflectionsassociations, reflections

Emphasis on Emphasis on howhow something is something is perceived rather than on perceived rather than on what what is is perceivedperceived

DefianceDefiance

The The gothicgothic form, as an act of defiance, is the critical form, as an act of defiance, is the critical tool for Faulkner’s literary projects, whtool for Faulkner’s literary projects, which ich seek to seek to disrupt the “master” narrative. For a change, as disrupt the “master” narrative. For a change, as Faulkner’s characters tell and retell their stories from Faulkner’s characters tell and retell their stories from ghostly and ghostly and multiplemultiple points of view and from a points of view and from a timelinetimeline that confounds the expectations of the readerthat confounds the expectations of the reader..

Faulknerian QualitiesFaulknerian Qualities

1. An increased emphasis on impressionism/subjectivity in writing--more about how rather than what we see--as in stream of consciousness narration.

2. A movement away from objectivity in terms of narration or presentation--no longer the use of the omniscient third-person narrator or fixed points of view—modern works are more subjective and often marked by multiple perspective narration (in fiction Faulkner's As I Lay Dying).

3. A sort of meta-awareness concerning the production of the work - reflexiveness in terms of works being conscious of themselves.

4. The rejection of the distinction between “high” and “low” culture--an almost bad taste mixture of qualities.

Yoknapatawpha CountyYoknapatawpha County

Since 1929, he wrote a series of works Since 1929, he wrote a series of works about Yoknapatawpha County:about Yoknapatawpha County:

- stories happened in this County- stories happened in this County - the prosper and decay of some families- the prosper and decay of some families - independent but connected stories- independent but connected stories - characters shows up in different stories- characters shows up in different stories - - a portrait of Southern society for 200 years

Discontinuous NarrativeDiscontinuous Narrative

Narrative moves Narrative moves back and forth back and forth through time.through time.

Narrative may also Narrative may also move between move between narrators.narrators.

Faulkner’s Faulkner’s The The Sound and the FurySound and the Fury or or As I Lay DyingAs I Lay Dying

Some NovelsSome Novels

Sartoris (1929)Sartoris (1929)The Sound and the Fury (19The Sound and the Fury (19

29)29)As I Lay Dying (1930)As I Lay Dying (1930)Sanctuary (1931)Sanctuary (1931)Absalom! Absalom! (1936)Absalom! Absalom! (1936)Go Down, Moses (1942)Go Down, Moses (1942)

As I Lay DyingAs I Lay Dying

59 sections of interior monologue by 15 59 sections of interior monologue by 15 characters characters

a a dramatically experimental attempt to dramatically experimental attempt to articulate articulate the inexpressible aspects of individual psychology

SanctuarySanctuary, 1931, 1931

sex sex gangsters gangsters official corruptionofficial corruptionurban violence urban violence

Publicity photo for Sanctuary.

Sparkling HollywoodSparkling Hollywood

ScriptwriterScriptwriter

Cooperated with Cooperated with

Howard HawksHoward Hawks

Lauren Bacall & Humphrey Lauren Bacall & Humphrey Bogart ,Bogart ,To Have and Have Not

Based on Based on the novel by the novel by Ernest Ernest HemingwayHemingway

Warner Warner Brothers, Brothers, 19441944

                               

      

Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart, Bogart, The Big Sleep

Based on Based on the novel by the novel by Raymond Raymond ChandlerChandler

Warner Warner Brothers, Brothers, 19461946

World War II:World War II: the change of his workthe change of his work

Yoknapatawpha County:Yoknapatawpha County:• the rise of a poor white family, Snopes the rise of a poor white family, Snopes • the decline of aristocratic familiesthe decline of aristocratic familiesThe Hamlet, 1940• 1st of 3 novels devoted to the Snopes 1st of 3 novels devoted to the Snopes

family family • followed by followed by The Town,1957 andand The

Mansion, 1959 1959--three saga novels.--three saga novels.

William FaulknerWilliam Faulkner American WriterAmerican Writer

1897-19621897-1962

The Nobel Prize in The Nobel Prize in Literature 1949Literature 1949

"for his powerful and "for his powerful and artistically unique artistically unique contribution to the contribution to the modern American modern American novel"novel"

Rowan Oak--home to

William Faulkner