William Faulkner's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech and its Relevance

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William Faulkner's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech and its Relevance

William Faulkner’s Nobel Prize acceptance speech is a dynamic statement that challenges the writer and man to not simply sit around and watch the end of man, but to help man endure and prevail. Faulkner refuses to accept the naturalists theme that human beings are dominated, controlled, and overwhelmed by their environment and nature. He does not accept the end of man, but rather says that man will prevail. Though many have accepted the easy way out by saying man will simply endure because one can hear his soft, inexhaustible voice even after death, Faulkner also refuses this. He says man will not only endure, but he shall prevail or triumph over death. Man will prevail because he has a soul and emotions unlike other creatures. Towards the end of his speech, Faulkner challenges the poet and writer to help man endure and prevail by lifting up his heart and express man’s soul and emotions. Faulkner strongly disagrees with the naturalist theme, which states that man is controlled by nature and he believes man s...

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