The Myth Of "Self

Aristocratic consciousness, deeply rooted and omnipresent in William Faulkner's works, is an underlying factor that affects his attitude, emotion, faith, recognition, ideology and the like. It refers to an affection orientation in which Faulkner unconsciously beautifies, apotheosizes, and criticizes aristocrats but with the hope of saving them. In view of this feature, the paper, through varied characters he depicts and their interrelationships, attempts to analyze the infiltration of this consciousness in his works.Considering the aristocratic stance Faulkner assumes, Faulkner himself and the characters he depicts are called "self, while the weak groups of Indians, blacks, poor whites, and northerners are "other". The myth of the self and the truth of the self interweave to create Faulkner's fictitious world, the former being emotions and values reflected in the idealized, heroic, legendary, humanitarian "self and merchandised, evil, servile "other", and the latter referring to the objective and real description on inner evil and destruction of "self, rising and ascending of "other".The paper falls into three parts.The first part, on the basis of Faulkner's detailed descriptions, observes the two types, the unique, incomparable, outstanding "self and uncivilized, evil, stupid "other". Furthermore, he tries to look for the myth of the self from duality antagonist relations, noble and humble, capable and crafty, cultivated and barbarian, developed and less-developed.The second part, from objective facts, seeks out the truth of the self, which in sharp contrasts to the myth of the self, actually exposes the internal evil and cruelness, degeneration and decline. Meanwhile, the features of "other" of having emotion, dignity, capability and morality are strengthened. The sadness of thedeclining in "self and the power of the flourishing in "other" are identified. The spirit of superiority in "self is dying and the truth of the self displays unparalleled honesty and bravery of Faulkner.The third part illustrates the interrelationship between the myth of the self and the truth of the self. Although the truth of the self, in a sense, leads to the disintegration of the myth of the self, the fundamental values and orders of "self and "other" are not overturned. The truth in the eyes of "self is based on the myth of the self, and the truth is still in myth. Aristocratic consciousness in Faulkner's novels plays a commanding role, but does not weaken the significance of Faulkner as a great writer. His conscience and sense of responsibility, his anguish and joy, his dream and hope for the incessant advance of human beings, is respectable. Although his dream is somewhat backwards and Utopian, his bravery of exploring the way for the South transcends time and space and has become perpetual. In Faulkner's works, the voice of greatness and pettiness, suffer and misfortune, philanthropy and cruelty will never die.