William Faulkner’s work has influenced many people today. He is known for his use of words and his theme. William Faulkner is also known as one of the greatest American authors of the twentieth century. His greatest work is A Fable, which won a Pulitzer Prize. William Faulkner was raised a southern boy, whose writing was influenced by two people and one major event, and his greatest work A Fable. A preeminent figure in twentieth-century American literature, Faulkner created a profound and complex body of work in which he often explored exploitation and corruption in the American South. Many of Faulkner’s novels and short stories are set in Yoknapatawpha County, a fictional area reflecting the geographical and cultural background of his native Mississippi. Faulkner’s works frequently reflect the history of the South while developing perceptive explorations of the human character. Faulkner used a variety of narrative techniques to enrich his exploration of this struggle. One of the most famous authors Mark Twain was a reason for Faulkner’s drive to write. “Mark Twain was a direct influence on William Faulkner” (Faulkner, William; Enotes) “Nearly a year after the publication of Soldiers’ Pay. Mark Twain inspired the publication of Mosquitoes” …show more content…
William Faulkner has been credited with having the imagination to see, before other serious writers saw, the tremendous potential for drama, pathos, and sophisticated humor in the history and people of the South. In using this material and, in the process, suggesting to others how it might be used, he has also been credited with sparking the Southern Renaissance of literary achievement that has produced much of the United States best literature in the twentieth century. His novel “A Rose for Emily,” frequently varied and analyzed, is probably Faulkner’s best-known story. Due to its elements of mystery, suspense, and macabre, it has enjoyed a popular appeal. This was William
Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 12th ed. New York: Pearson, 2013. 549-51. Print.
William Faulkner’s "A Rose for Emily" is perhaps his most famous and most anthologized short story. From the moment it was first published in 1930, this story has been analyzed and criticized by both published critics and the causal reader. The well known Literary critic and author Harold Bloom suggest that the story is so captivating because of Faulkner’s use of literary techniques such as "sophisticated structure, with compelling characterization, and plot" (14). Through his creative ability to use such techniques he is able to weave an intriguing story full of symbolism, contrasts, and moral worth. The story is brief, yet it covers almost seventy five years in the life of a spinster named Emily Grierson. Faulkner develops the character Miss Emily and the events in her life to not only tell a rich and shocking story, but to also portray his view on the South’s plight after the Civil War. Miss Emily becomes the canvas in which he paints the customs and traditions of the Old South or antebellum era. The story “A Rose For Emily” becomes symbolic of the plight of the South as it struggles to face change with Miss Emily becoming the tragic heroin of the Old South.
Faulkner, William. "A Rose for Emily." The Norton Introduction to Literature. By Carl E. Bain, Jerome Beaty, and J. Paul Hunter. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, Inc. 1991: 69-76.
Marius, Richard. Reading Faulkner: Introductions to the First Thirteen Novels. Ed. Nancy Grisham Anderson. Knoxville: University of Tennessee, 2006. Print.
Growing up in the South, Faulkner gives a good perspective on what it was like for
Attempting to leave his mark in history as a great author, Faulkner created a host of characters comprised of the faults of human nature in the South. And Faulkner is characterized by the range of his technique and tone along with the themes concerning the South.
It was surprise to Samuel Clemens himself that the literary career actually brought him farthest down the path and also won him the most respect, since Twain had never held back his zealot for being a riverboat pilot, who even coined a river-related pen name. Nonetheless, Eugene O’Neill once commented, “Mark Twain is the true father of all American literature”, has truly spoke out for majority of Americans, whether they lived in the past or surviving in contemporary era (Fishkin 3). The greatest American satirist had employed exceptional humorous tactics to provoke in depth consideration of human nature and society issues revolved around it. American literature in return, owed sincere appreciation to its father for his phenomenal contributions.
Faulkner, William. “A Rose For Emily.” An Introduction to Fiction. 10th ed. Eds: X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. New Yorkk: Pearson Longman, 2007. 29-34.
Brooks, Cleanth. "William Faulkner: Visions of Good and Evil." Faulkner, New Perspectives. Ed. Richard H. Brodhead. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey : Prentice-Hall, 1983.
Kurtz, Elizabeth Carney. "Faulkner's 'A Rose for Emily'". Explicator. Heldref Publications. 44.2 (1986): 40. Academic Search Complete. Blinn College, Bryan, Lib. 18 Oct. 2007
Born on September 25th, 1897 in Albany, New York, William Faulkner eventually became known for his “vivid imagination and innovative use of language” in literature (Puchner 371). In his adult life, he moved to Mississippi. It is in early 1930’s that he first introduced a peculiar white family that lived in Yoknapatawpha, Mississippi; they are known as the Snopeses. This fictional town and family are seen multiple times throughout Faulkner’s work, and are said to represent the many flaws of life such as “murders, lynchings, and bestialities” (Puchner 373). One of his short stories in particular, “Spotted Horses”, started the era of the Snopes family. The tall tale is centered around the unbroken horses, but why? What is the relevancy of them?
Samuel Langhorne Clemens, better known by the pseudonym Mark Twain, has been central to American literature for over a century. His seemingly effortless diction accurately exemplified America’s southern culture. From his early experiences in journalism to his most famous fictional works, Twain has remained relevant to American writing as well as pop culture. His iconic works are timeless and have given inspiration the youth of America for decades. He distanced himself from formal writing and became one of the most celebrated humorists. Mark Twain’s use of the common vernacular set him apart from authors of his era giving his readers a sense of familiarity and emotional connection to his characters and himself.
Faulkner, William. "A Rose for Emily." The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. Shorter 5th ed. Ed. R.V.Cassill. New York: W.W. Norton & Comp., 1995.
Faulkner, William. "A Rose for Emily." Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Ed. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell. Compact 4th ed. Fort Worth: Harcourt College Publishers, 2000. 81 - 88.
The person could tell them yes now, because the person knows that William Faulkner was a well-known poet and novelist. His troubled, yet talented background, time during Great Depression, and poetry and novels shaped him as a writer, making him a memorable writer.