Light in August (Cyclopedia of Literary Characters)
At a glance:
- Author: William Faulkner
- First Published: 1932
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Psychological realism
- Time of Work: 1930
- Setting: Mississippi
- Genres: Long fiction, Psychological fiction
- Subjects: Racism, Race, Murder or homicide, South or Southerners, Interracial relationships, Mistaken or secret identity, Betrayal, Prejudices or antipathies, 1930’s, Pregnancy, Mississippi, Small-town life, Cruelty, Hate crimes, Outlaws
- Locales: Yoknapatawpha County (fictive)
Characters Discussed
Joe Christmas, a mulatto. Placed in an orphan home by his demented grandfather, he is to lead a tortured life of social isolation, as he belongs neither to the white nor to the black race; in fact, he prefers this kind of existence. After staying with the fanatical Calvin McEachern during his boyhood, Joe knocks his foster father unconscious and strikes out on his own, rejecting any friendly overtures. At last, he is driven to his final desperate act: He kills his benefactress, Joanna Burden, and faces death at the hands of merciless Percy Grimm.
...[The entire page is 1056 words long]
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