A critical analysis of three short stories or one short Novella by one Essay

A critical analysis of three short stories or one short Novella by one author - Essay Example Rather than portraying his characters in keeping with the generally accepted and widely held view of the stereotypical farmer, for instance, Faulkner presented his characters, good and bad, with a strong degree of sensitivity and understanding (Cowley, 1977). By covering several aspects of living in Yoknapatawpha, telling stories from various different viewpoints within the town, Faulkner has an amazing repertoire of characters who drift in and out of focus and who can trace their lineage back to his first tale. He wrote primarily from his experience growing up in the south and within his archetypal setting, he was able to establish clearly defined allegories such as Time in â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, the strength of the southern black man in â€Å"Ad Astra† and the struggle of the natural against the civilized in â€Å"The Bear.† Faulkner is one of the least educated and least experienced writers of his time. Born in New Albany, Mississippi on September 25, 1897, he was originally William Falkner, the first of four sons born to Murry and Maud Falkner. He acquired the ‘u’ later in life probably as a typographical error and later as an intentional misspelling to obtain a position with the Royal Air Force in Canada as he felt it made him appear more British (Padgett, 2005). When he was five years old, the family moved to Oxford. Although he reportedly showed a great deal of artistic talent at a young age, Faulkner was quickly bored with school and dropped out without graduating from high school. Other than a short stint at the University of Mississippi, he never returned to school. He joined the Royal Air Force in Canada, but was honorably discharged shortly after he completed training when the war ended, forcing him to return home to Mississippi. He remained somewhat unanchored for a while, taking odd jobs, publishing poetry and short stories and attending the university before moving to New