Sense Of Time In Faulkner Novels By Comparison

Bai Xianyong, a Chinese writer, and the American writer William Faulkner both had the quite intense time consciousness, which was distinctly and vividly illustrated in their respective novels. This paper examines the time consciousness reflected in the works of Bai Xianyong and William Faulkner and its source by parallel study, providing an insight into the differences between the Chinese and Western literary traditions.The first three chapters of this paper deal with the time consciousness that we can perceive in the works of the two novelists in three dimensions involving such literary elements as themes, characters, and narrative skills. Chapter 4 attempts to make a further inquiry into the reasons behind the time consciousness by approaching their respective family backgrounds, life experiences and philosophical thoughts and exploring the cultural psychologies and the historical and social contexts of their times.The conclusion is drawn in the last section. Essentially, the narrative of Bai Xianyong was usually revolving around the question of national destiny, which had a strong sense of history. As far as William Faulkner was concerned, the concept of time in his works was not only practical but also symbolic. Specifically, William Faulkner was telling stories which were not so much about South America as about the conditions of human existence.