《英美文学教学资料》William Faulkner.pptVIP

William Faulkner (1897-1962) One of the greatest novelists and short story writers. Winner of Nobel prize in 1950. Born in an old, proud, and distinguished family in New Albany, Mississippi. Entered the University of Mississippi, but did not finished the freshman year. Joined the Canadian, and later the British, Royal Air Force during the First World War. Went to Hollywood as a screenwriter, but not successful. Encouraged by Sherwood Anderson, began his literary career. Main Concern Focus on the Southern subjects and consciousness. Center on an imaginary Yoknapatawpha County and its inhabitants before or after the Civil War---- a regionalist. Reveal the bitterness of southern history and the underlying cause for the failure and decay of the South. Major Works The Sound and the Fury As I Lay Dying Absalom, Absalom! Light in August Go Down, Moses. Collected Stories Writing style Complexity: repetition, inconsistent punctuation, long and puzzling sentences, vague reference pronouns, compounded adjectives, complex modifying elements, flashbacks, multiple points of view, . Stream-of-consciousness mode. Symbolic and allusive techniques. “A Rose for Emily” By William Faulkner 1. How does Faulkner handle the time in his narration of the story? Faulkner uses a circuitous and oblique approach to deal with the time. E.g., the funeral, the visitation of the deputation, the problem of the smell, the death of the father, Emily’s affair with Homer, the visitation of the two cousins, the purchase of the poison, the Baptist’s visit, the reason for the two cousins’ visit, the purchase of man’s things, the disappearance of Homer Barron, teaching of china-painting, the reason for the remission of Emily’s taxes, Emily’s refusal to let a mailbox fastened on her door, taxing, the death of Emily, the funeral (discovery of the corpse), 2. What is the significance of Faulkner’s way of handling time in the story? The non-chronological rendering of certain details and sequences enh