Pylon (Masterplots II: American Fiction Series, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: William Faulkner
- First Published: 1935
- Type of Plot: Modernist realism
- Time of Work: Mid-Depression, during Mardi Gras
- Setting: Primarily New Valois, Franciana, a transparent reference to New Orleans, and Ohio
- Principal Characters: Lazarus, Roger Shumann, La Verne, The boy, Jack Holmes, Jiggs, Hagood
- Genres: Long fiction, Realism
- Subjects: North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, Midwest, Ohio, 1930’s, Poverty or poor people, Accidents, Airplanes or jets, Reporting or reporters, Contests
- Locales: Ohio, Franciana (fictive), New Valois (fictive)
The Novel
Pylon was William Faulkner’s eighth novel; he wrote it at the height of his powers, just before Absalom, Absalom! (1936) and not long after Light in August (1932). The novel is, above all, about flying and the motivation of those who fly. The “pylon” of the title is the tower or steel post around which a pilot must turn as he competes in a race at an air fair. The term figures prominently in the jargon of competing pilots; they “turn pylons” with their planes on each lap—they “take that pylon” and try to “fly the best pylon.”...
[The entire page is 2738 words long]
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
See Also
Related Topics
