Major Themes In Faulkner�s Light In August�
Faulkner's Light in August is a metaphor. In fact it is many metaphors, almost infinitely many. It is a jumble of allusions, themes, portraits, all of them uniquely important, many of them totally unrelated. So obviously it would be foolish to attempt to trace every line, follow every branch to its root, one could spend a lifetime dissecting the book in this manner. Fortunately, in the midst of this clutter of wonders, there are dominate themes. There are veins of meaning that permeate throughout. Chief among them; Faulkner's study of 20th century man's search for identity, and his compassionate portrait of the origins of evil.
I have come from Alabama a fur piece (p.3). The ...
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catching the reader totally unaware and throwing off the entire continuity of the book. It seems that Faulkner's desire for unity is not as strong as is his desire for truth to individual response. Thus Lena is a frame, she serves only to accentuate Christmas's story, by contrast. Faulkner demands the reader follow, and realize this.
So we now see Christmas's childhood. From the beginning, Christmas is two things. One, he is a totally clean slate in that he has no idea whatsoever of his past, his origins. He is neither predestined to good nor evil, simply born. By this same token, Christmas is left confused. Unable to determine where he belongs, because he has no idea of his origins, he has no idea of self, even to the extent of not being sure of his race. Christmas is thoroughly alone in the world, completely separate from everyone. "Well, here I am" (p.134). This is the first thing Christmas says. A fitting statement on his utter aloneness. While Christmas is ...
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sending him in contradicting paths.
Inevitably he rebels against these forces, finding refuge in immorality, a whore, and later going so far as to strike out against his oppressor, his own father, killing him. This final act of defiance is not so much an act of pure malice, but rather an irrepressible reaction to the extreme antics. So extreme morality has led Christmas to an act of extreme immorality. And this is where the downward spiral begins.
Christmas is free from all morality. When Christmas kills his adopted father he becomes completely immoral. Caring nothing for those around him, Christmas has completed his journey from innocent boy to uncaring man. Christmas has become ...
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Major Themes In Faulkner�s Light In August�. (2005, May 15). Retrieved November 30, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Major-Themes-In-Faulkners-Light-August/26934
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"Major Themes In Faulkner�s Light In August�." Essayworld.com. May 15, 2005. Accessed November 30, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Major-Themes-In-Faulkners-Light-August/26934.
"Major Themes In Faulkner�s Light In August�." Essayworld.com. May 15, 2005. Accessed November 30, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Major-Themes-In-Faulkners-Light-August/26934.
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