Honors Theses
Date of Award
2004
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
English
First Advisor
Judson (Jay) Watson
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The genesis of this project was a commercial I saw on television advertising the University of Mississippi. “Is it the words that capture a place, or the place that captures the words?” noted actor and Mississippi native Morgan Freeman asked. I had been confident in my knowledge of literary Oxford, but the commercial made me wonder just what had created this literary environment I took for granted. I set about my task dividing the culture into three realms of influence, the town and its history, the school and its academic authority, and Square Books and its economic influence. As I began to research the history of Oxford, and to meet the people involved in its literary world, I realized how difficult it was to keep these realms of influence distinct. They did not simply bleed one into another, they poured. I realized Oxford’s literary culture was not simply a number influences working together as I had assumed, but rather at times it appeared as the precise and diligent work of individuals. Together, many people—both authors and enthusiasts—have contributed to Oxford’s literary reputation. This project attempts to present, in prose form, the literary history of Oxford, while also presenting, in dialogue, the personal accounts of some who have been a part and a product of that literary history. As interview subjects, I chose four individuals who represent distinct entities of Oxford’s literary culture: a mayor and bookstore owner, an academic, and two authors—one native to Mississippi and one a transplant. While each 5 approached the subject from a particular perspective, their opinions converged. Oxford is unique, and it is literary. All spoke of Faulkner, but all spoke of other qualities as well. Its rich history, varied culture, and exposure to a variety of influences—all within a fifteen mile radius—create fertile ground for aspiring writers. In the future Oxford will likely continue as a place where writers may find nourishment. Having been effectively canonized by Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha, Oxford and Lafayette County can go nowhere. It will be preserved, if not in actuality, in the pages of his novels. There, it may be of even more influence, uncluttered by contemporary development and expansion. Regardless of its future as a municipality, I believe those who have made good use of Oxford’s literary capital will pass on the torch to a next generation. From what I have come to hear and learn during my time in Oxford, there is far too much literary enthusiasm to believe otherwise. What follows is not a celebration of Oxford, though I admit, at times it may read as one. Rather, I have attempted to construct an informed and rational basis upon which one may better understand the arrival and sustenance of literary Oxford. 6
Recommended Citation
Fuller, John Louis, "Faulkner's Wake: The Emergence of Literary Oxford" (2004). Honors Theses. 2005.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/2005
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