| William Faulkner, as one of the world's greatest novelists in the 20th century has made huge literary achievements. Both in novels and short stories, he covers many subjects, among which initiation is of great importance. Initiation is a ubiquitous cultural phenomenon in human life. Adolescence is an unavoidable period in one's initiation process while adolescents in different periods are puzzled by different issues. Therefore, initiation is one of the everlasting literary subjects full of novelty and vitality.In literary criticism at home and abroad, research on Faulkner's initiation subject mainly focuses on a certain novel; holistic approach is needed. Most of his works touch the subject of initiation, such as The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, Go Down, Moses, The Reivers, and Intruder in the Dust. This thesis, guided by Mordecai Marcus'initiation theory, analyzes these novels from the perspective of initiation stories, and reveals the significances of the author's initiation subjects.This thesis carries out a textual analysis of Faulkner's initiation stories from three aspects:the classification and characteristics, cultural connotation, and his originality in creation.The introduction is about the research on Faulkner's initiation stories at home and abroad.Chapter One introduces the origin and the definition of initiation stories, and the developments in America and significance in literature.Chapter Two analyzes the classification and characteristics of initiation stories. According to Marcus'theory, Faulkner's initiation stories can be divided into three kinds: the protagonist gets tentative experience; or the protagonist is not mature completely, just led to the threshold of maturity; or the protagonist takes a crucial step to the threshold of maturity. These novels are in accordance with the features of initiation stories:the characters get initiated at last after ordeals and trials; in structure, he follows the model of initiation stories.Chapter Three views Faulkner's novels from cultural perspective:guides and racial problems related to initiation. There are four kinds of guides:positive guides, negative guides, natural guides, and absence of a guide. In the course of initiation, the protagonist is to be influenced by different guides, and should suffer from the test of social custom.Chapter Four is about the originality of the author's initiation stories. He embeds the technique of stream-of-consciousness in idiots' mind, and portrays Benjy and Vadaman, who represent the hopeless South. Another kind of adolescents such as Ike, Chick and Lucius act as sturdy as an adult; their initiation means the development of southerners' mental station. Descriptions of the two kinds of adolescents show that the author is getting more and more mature in his creative thoughts; meanwhile, Faulkner's initiation stories have a profound influence on the following generations' literature creation.Initiation is the indispensable experience to everyone. It is through pains and sufferings that one gets psychological and spiritual initiation into maturity. Personal confusion, guide's influence, and peculiar racial issue in the South make it hard for adolescents to get initiated. By describing initiation stories, Faulkner implies that one should gradually discard narrowness and prejudice in his initiation process so as to become a man with independent consciousness and finish the change from a natural person to a social man. His initiation stories also reflect his positive attitude toward the initiation and future development of mankind. |
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