Race And Identity-On The Roots Of Joe's Tragedy In Faulkner's Light In August

Exploring racism and sexism, Light in August is William Faulkner's most controversial novel. Its complex plots combine the stories of Joe, Lena and Hightower, three major characters in the novel. Since its publication, it has drawn a lot of critical attention.In this novel, Faulkner portrays two different worlds:one is alive and full of light, and the other is dark, violent and death-oriented. Through such contrast, he is able to place the characters in complex, ambivalent social and moral situation, and examine their relationship with the American society. Foregrounding conflicts between Joe Christmas, the protagonist of the novel, and community, Faulkner attempts to probe into the interleaving between race and the construction of identity.This thesis is divided into five parts. Chapter one mainly introduces William Faulkner and Light in August, the literature review, and the significance of this study. It will also give a brief introduction to Freud's psychoanalytic theory.In chapter two, the author of the thesis probes into the internal causes of Joe's tragedy through examining his inner world. Chapter three unearths the external causes through analyzing Joe's image in other people's eyes. Meanwhile, the multi-dimensional racial relation of the South society is revealed. It shows that the community in which Joe lives also contributes to his tragedy.Chapter Four focuses on the theme of Christianity, which is a heritage deeply rooted in the lives of Southerners for several generations, and examines how it mingles with racism and sexism. Chapter Five is the conclusion of the thesis.