4. CLASS
DISCRIMINATION• Separation of Classes
– “A Rose for Emily”
• The separation of the classes can be seen in “A Rose
for Emily,” when it is discussed that Miss Emily would
not stoop to marry a ‘day laborer.’
– Language
• The southern way of life is also seen in his works
through his characters speaking proper or improper
English. The poor southerners speak improper English
and the rich southerners speak proper English, as if to
separate themselves into their respective classes.
5. LANDSCAPE
• Appalachian Mountains
–Much of the south are the foothills for
the Appalachian Mountains.
• The gently rolling hills provide a beautiful
landscape for the scenes depicted by Faulkner.
–However, the hills often provided a
higher point of view for the characters.
• “Barn Burning”
– At the end of the story, the climbing of the hill for the boy
Snopes shows the internal struggle that he felt regarding
the betrayal of his family and his father.
6. RACISM
• Character Underdevelopment
– . In “A Rose for Miss Emily,” the manservant
character is not developed as a character.
Even though the manservant plays a vital role
in the story, it is as if the manservant is
deemed so insignificant that his character is
not worth developing or describing in detail.
• Derogatory, Offensive Terms
– The South is known for its deliberate and non-
deliberate racism, which influenced Faulkner's
perspective.
7. DEPICTION OF
CHARACTERS
• The way that Faulkner depicted his
characters also influences how readers
view the south and the southern peoples.
– Terms such as, “gaunt” and “puny” were used
to describe characters.
– “Faulkner’s novels inaccurately describe the
physical attributes of Southerners and this
has created false and misleading historical
images.” (Ferleger, 362).
8. TRAGEDY
• Faulkner's works are influenced by the
south’s tragic past and his works relay that
tragedy.
– “Barn Burning”
• Later in the story the father is shot after the son reveals the
fathers actions. The son will live a life burdened with the
thought that his own actions led to the death of his father.
– “A Rose for Emily”
• The lover is poisoned by Miss Emily so that he could never
leave her. It is tragic in the sense that even though her lover will
be with her for the rest of her days, he will never show her the
love and affection that she longs for because he is dead.
9. SUMMARY
• The South influenced Faulkner, but it can also be said that the
perception of the South is also influenced by Faulkner. His works are
filled with southern themes.
– I feel that one of the strongest examples of this influence is the
racism that is depicted throughout his works.
– I also see the way the different social classes interact and treat one
another. I feel that the southern influence with regard to the
separation of the classes is strongly depicted in the type of
language spoken by the characters of the different social classes.
– the southern landscape is used by Faulkner not only as a backdrop
for his works, but also to imply the triumphs and setbacks
experienced by his characters.
– The South’s tragic past is also depicted in Faulkner's works and
tragedy is often prevalent in his works.
• Overall, I believe that the south had a strong influence on shaping the
author William Faulkner and his works.
10. WORK CITED
Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry,
Drama, and Writing. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 3rd ed. New York: Longman,
2010. 33 – 41. Print.
Faulkner, William. “Barn Burning.” Backpack Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry,
Drama, and Writing. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 3rd ed. New York: Longman,
2010. 147 – 161. Print.
Ferleger, Louis, and Richard H. Steckel. "Faulkner's South: Is There Truth in Fiction."
Faulkner's South. Ohio State University. Web. 1 May 2011. <http://www.web.econ.ohio-
state.edu/rsteckel/VITA/1998%20Faulkner's%20south...Journal%20of%20Mississippi%20
History-1998.pdf>.
Kinney, Arthur F. “Faulkner and Racism.” Connotations. 3.3 (1993-94) 265-278. Print.
Martin, Reginald. "Faulkner's Southern Reflections: the Black on the Back of the Mirror in "Ad
Astra." - William Faulkner - Section 1: Black South Culture." bnet. CBS, 2010. Web. 1 May
2011. <http://www.http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2838/is_n1_v27/ai_13193063/>.
"Online NewsHour: Remembering Faulkner -- September 26, 1997." PBS: Public Broadcasting
Service. PBS, 26 Sept. 1997. Web. 01 May 2011.
<http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/july-dec97/faulkner_9-26.html>.
Stayton, Jeffery. “Southern Expressionism: Apocalyptic Hillscapes, Racial Panoramas, and
Lustmord in William Faulkner’s Light in August.” The Southern Literary Journal. 42.1 (Fall
2009) 32 – 56. Print.
