Introduction 1
1. Introduction to Faulkner’s Southern Complex 2
1.1 Historical Background 2
1.2 Faulkner’s Personal Experiences and His Writing 3
1.3 Meanings and Manifestations of Faulkner’s Southern Complex 4
2. Faulkner’s Southern Complex in The Sound and the Fury 5
2.1 Caddy’s Innocence and her Tragedy 6
2.2 Quentin’s Pride and Frail 9
2.3 Dilsey’s Kindness and Justice 10
2.4 Jason’s Greed and Cruelty 11
3. Conclusion 12
Bibliography 15
Abstract: Faulkner is regarded as one of America’s most influential modern novelists, and has unarguably become the main representative of American “South Literature”, as his works are closely related to the Southern society and Southern life which can be considered as Faulkner’s deep attachment to the South. The Sound and the Fury, the most favorite and successful novel of Faulkner, has fully reflected Faulkner’s deep affection to the South. In this novel, Faulkner shows us the Old South’s collapse after the Civil War by depicting the corruption of Family Compson. This article aims to explore Faulkner’s Southern Complex by analyzing four major characters in the novel the Sound and the Fury, so as to help readers to get a more profound and comprehensive understanding of the southern history and the essence of the southern novelists’ complicated emotions.
Key Words: The Sound and the Fury; Faulkner; Southern Complex
