Humor as Vision in William Faulkner
Location
Ole Miss Union Ballroom
Start Date
30-7-1984 9:00 AM
Description
Every reader of Faulkner knows that there is a pervasive presence of humor in his work--particularly in The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, and in the Snopes trilogy. Yet for all that presence, there is a tendency in Faulkner criticism to subordinate the humor to the "serious" and "difficult" aspects of his forms and themes. It is so much easier to focus on the "meaning" of Faulkner than on the humor for the simple reason that there is a contradictory relation between humor and meaning. By concentrating on The Sound and the Fury, I shall try to show just how Faulkner keeps humor in attendance upon the tragic history of the Compson family, and how full recognition of the humor can help to illuminate the entire novel. My primary attention will be devoted to Jason's section of the novel, for Jason provokes the most savage moral judgments on the part of the reader, yet at the same time inspires the most hilarious laughter. To see Jason's humor can, I contend, enable us to see both the preceding sections as well as the concluding section of the novel in a. stronger, more humane light.
Relational Format
Conference Proceeding
Recommended Citation
Cox, James M., "Humor as Vision in William Faulkner" (1984). Faulkner and Yoknapatawpha Conference. 7.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/fy/1984/schedule/7
Humor as Vision in William Faulkner
Ole Miss Union Ballroom
Every reader of Faulkner knows that there is a pervasive presence of humor in his work--particularly in The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, and in the Snopes trilogy. Yet for all that presence, there is a tendency in Faulkner criticism to subordinate the humor to the "serious" and "difficult" aspects of his forms and themes. It is so much easier to focus on the "meaning" of Faulkner than on the humor for the simple reason that there is a contradictory relation between humor and meaning. By concentrating on The Sound and the Fury, I shall try to show just how Faulkner keeps humor in attendance upon the tragic history of the Compson family, and how full recognition of the humor can help to illuminate the entire novel. My primary attention will be devoted to Jason's section of the novel, for Jason provokes the most savage moral judgments on the part of the reader, yet at the same time inspires the most hilarious laughter. To see Jason's humor can, I contend, enable us to see both the preceding sections as well as the concluding section of the novel in a. stronger, more humane light.