This summer I was on vacation in Otranto and I visited the wonderful cathedral of the city.

The floor of the church is made up of a beautiful mosaic that starts from the entrance and ends at the altar. The mosaic represents the main scenes from the Old Testament of the Bible, depicting the main biblical characters, from Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, to Noah's Ark.

What does all this have to do with "Light in August"? The mosaic of Otranto came to my mind because this powerful novel can be defined as a Bible. A Bible of the arid South of the United States, a grandiose work in which every single character recalls a protagonist of the New or Old Testament. Gigantic figures in their tragedy yet simple: a Madonna, Lena Grove, hieratic and quiet like the Virgin in front of the Archangel Gabriel, with a son in her arms whose father has left Alabama for Mississippi, a greedy and mean individual who flees from responsibility, chased and never reached by Lena in her quiet and endless journey along roads where cotton fields blinded by the August sun are overlooked, a sun that gives a particular luminosity, so intense as if it knew that it is over, that the darkness is about to prevail and those are the last fires of summer. A Saint Joseph, a putative father, Byron Bunch, a man who has reached middle age working at the sawmill in Jefferson every day sent by the Lord, even on Saturday afternoons, without thinking of anything else for fear of losing it and suffering, who is transformed by the encounter with Lena, shaken in his certainties but always humble and ready to sacrifice. A John the Baptist, the Reverend Hightower, born to an elderly couple, with a single mission to accomplish, to go to Jefferson, in Mississippi, to the place where his grandfather, at the head of a handful of Confederate soldiers, was killed during a military action taken to destroy General Grant's deposits. There is a Mary Magdalene, Joanna Burden, the woman who dedicates her life to helping blacks as a cross for the expiation of the sins of whites, she who will be seized by a furious passion, after a sad life as a spinster, for Joe Christmas, one who doesn't even know what he is, only God the Father knows if white or black blood flows in his veins, abandoned as a newborn on the road on Christmas Eve night and raised in an orphanage until he was adopted by a childless couple who raised him among strict obligations and exemplary punishments to make him a perfect Christian, when instead the result will be quite different. Christmas is the most disturbing and at the same time most fascinating character in the novel, towards whom one feels pity, contempt, horror, pain. He who, like in the sacrificial rite of the celebration of the Eucharist, offers his blood and his body as a sacrifice for humanity. The sacrifice of himself to free the world from Evil. And around the prophet protagonists shouting that the kingdom of God is coming to cleanse the earth from the filth and abomination of the black race, sheriffs with the tin star who chase criminals along the dusty roads, blacks so dark as to be invisible to the world and the white inhabitants of Jefferson who act as spectators to the tragedy taking place, good Christians who walk around with Bibles in their hands and attend church every Sunday, prey to a racial hysteria that leads them to condemn without appeal the black blood wherever it flows.

A masterpiece written with a writing as sharp as a blade, dry and essential, to be read because it teaches us "how false even the deepest of books is when applied to life".

Faulkner is a master of prose, and his writing style is truly unique. He has the ability to create a narrative that seems to have a life of its own, pausing at times to pour itself a drink and then getting sidetracked telling you about the bottle. This digressive style may seem unconventional to some, but I find it to be absolutely beautiful.

It adds a sense of authenticity and depth to his stories, as if we are not just reading about the characters and their experiences, but also getting a glimpse into the mind of the author himself. The way he weaves in these seemingly random details and tangents makes the reading experience all the more engaging and memorable.

Faulkner's prose is like a meandering river, taking us on a journey through the landscapes of his imagination. We may not always know where it will lead us, but we are content to follow along, knowing that the ride will be well worth it.

I was not prepared for what I read. My first Faulkner was "As I Lay Dying" and I loved every single word of it. Now, in a broader breath, Faulkner seems different. I don't find the irony that was present on every page there, but a hard writing, like life. Faulkner spares us nothing and recreates a perfect snapshot of the American South.

The characters are perfectly characterized: Lena, the pregnant girl who walks to find her man; Christmas, both executioner and victim himself, the fruit of how the environment one lives (or doesn't live) in can influence; Byron Bunch, the hopeless lover; the Reverend Hightower, a pastor renounced by the Church, who lives on memories.

The atmosphere is melancholy, like that summer afternoon light, broken, yellow, that is about to give way to the first darkness of night. And here too, the journey is cathartic. In the case of Lena, hope that never dies. Christmas, instead, finds death, the only way to redeem himself from his life of misdeeds. A thick, compact book, with a dense and angular writing but that makes you love it.

August Heat is a novel that reaches from the local to the universal, from its own time to all times. Basically, Faulkner has his own time, his own geography, and his own issues. The novel deals with the individual-human issue without ever breaking away from that, and ultimately looks at life-humanity at the highest level. How he achieved this is not the order: with different narrative techniques, with the combination and sometimes the opposition of different narrative techniques. And of course with language. The language is simple and unadorned when telling the story of time, and is in accordance with the character of each when telling about its heroes, and especially in the last parts of the novel - when it reaches the highest level - it is complex and sometimes incomprehensible.

August Heat gives the feeling that we are almost always in a puzzle while reading, and at the same time, it makes us think that it is very close to the structure of life. The events are on one side, the different perceptions-points of view of people are on one side, and the total that the different points of view reveal, that great chaos is on one side. What all the techniques related to language, fiction, and form serve is in the total of these different points of view: incomprehensibility, inability to reconcile, insolubility. If the problem were resolved, for example, or if it were not a problem that repeated and reproduced itself on one side, then we would have surpassed Faulkner only with his technique. But we said, we were deceived in August Heat. If only we could have said. If only we could have said that it was at least gloomy for Faulkner.

Thought that after reading The Sound and the Fury, I had already known William Faulkner. However, Light in August reveals to me a new Writer. Also this captivating, hypnotic, dazzling,... Magnificent! Genius! Unparalleled!

It is a complex and, at the same time, simple novel that must be read with great concentration. Nevertheless, the prose, the characters, the story are so beautiful and perfect that it is difficult to interrupt and close it, definitely, at the end.

Set in the southern United States during Prohibition, where racism and religious intolerance prevail, Faulkner creates a gallery of characters and stories of tragic, moving and unforgettable lives. I highlight two, symbols of Good and Evil that coexist within each of us.

\\n  THE LIGHT\\n

Lena Grove is "the light in August" that illuminates the whole novel with hope. Gentle, serene, innocent and optimistic, she always believes in the beauty of life and the Good that exists in the hearts of men.

Her lover left on the day she told him she was pregnant, saying he would call her later. She waited for him and when the birth of her son was approaching, she took to the road believing, against all logic, that he didn't come because he couldn't. She walks for weeks, asking if they know Lucas Burches. She meets Byron Bunch who falls in love with her "contrary to all the traditions of his austere and zealous provincial education that demands the physical inviolability in this matter."

In the voices of Lena and Byron, we hear the Sound of Love like an enchanting melody of tenderness, kindness and future. Of life.

\\n  THE DARKNESS\\n

Joe Christmas is the black cloud that shadows the Light in August. Since childhood, he has lived tormented by the suspicion of having black blood, a stigma that turns his life into a constant agony. He lives prisoner of hatred for his white and black blood, and for the women he associates with perversion and death. When he becomes the lover of Joanna Burden, a middle-aged abolitionist with an unstable temperament, he is dragged into a spiral of madness from which he cannot escape. "there was something that held him, as any fatalist can always be held: through curiosity, pessimism or pure inertia. Meanwhile, the relationship continued, submerging him more and more under the imperious and overwhelming fury of those nights. Perhaps he realized that he couldn't escape. In any case, he stayed, watching the two creatures fighting inside that single body, like two silhouettes illuminated by moonlight fighting, drowning, alternating in convulsions on the surface of a black and viscous lake, under the last moon."

Christmas is a powerful character for whom I felt, simultaneously, compassion and anger, and the love story between him and Joanna one of the most terrible and fascinating I have ever read.

In the voices of Joe and Joanna, we hear the Fury of Passion like cries of pain, condemnation and perdition. Of death.

Light in August is a descent into hell, but in it we also glimpse a ray of light that shows us the way to paradise.

Finally, I realized how much my heart had been longing for a fictional novel and how good it was.

While reading this book, I came to the definite conclusion that the best Iranian translator is Saleh Hosseini.

I have always had a passion for reading, and fictional novels have a special charm for me. They allow me to escape from reality and enter a world of imagination. Recently, I came across a book that truly captured my heart.

The translator, Saleh Hosseini, did an excellent job. His translation was so smooth and accurate that it made the reading experience even more enjoyable. I could feel the emotions of the characters and was completely immersed in the story.

I am very grateful to Saleh Hosseini for his wonderful translation. Thanks to him, I was able to discover this amazing novel and have a great reading experience. I highly recommend this book to all those who love reading fictional novels.

William Faulkner's "Light in August" is a remarkable work that begins with a simple yet profound scene.

Lena, sitting beside the road, watches the wagon mount the hill toward her. She thinks, "I have come from Alabama, a fur piece."

This opening phrase sets the tone for the entire novel. It presents Lena as a passive figure, engaged only in mental activity. The image of her sitting and watching imparts a sense of loneliness and languor, which is echoed in the title of the book.

The southern drawl in "fur" and the reference to Alabama mark this as a story of the deep South, just like Faulkner himself. The phrase builds slowly, mirroring the structure of the book.

Although there is action and violence in the story, it is described at a deliberate pace.

"Light in August" was my first introduction to Faulkner in AP English, and it was a life-changing experience. His grandiose phrasing, vivid characters, and dark Southern gothic atmosphere captivated me.

Years later, I returned to Faulkner and read nearly all of his works, including the biography by Joseph Blotner. "Light in August" still holds a special place in my heart as one of the greatest works of 20th-century American literature.

It is a beautifully crafted novel that depicts the intertwined destinies of Lena Grove, Byron Burch, and Joe Christmas. Faulkner's portrayal of the preacher Gail Hightower is also unforgettable, vividly capturing the essence of southern fundamentalism.

If you want to discover Faulkner, "Light in August" is an absolute must-read.

The most blatant reason for choosing to read this book lies in the magnificent manner by which it conjures up the atmosphere of the South in the 1920s. The animosity and mistrust between the races were omnipresent. Such desolation! Asserting that the book is about racial discrimination is akin to stating that a "painting is nice"......and leaving it at that. It is the emotional reaction that Faulkner's words elicit in the reader that is truly extraordinary.

Faulkner's sentences often convey more than the literal words; they are like prose poetry. Many of the sentences possess a deeper significance. For me, this is an advantage; I relish grappling with the meaning. Simultaneously, while one is fumbling to understand the implied message, one is also contending with a plot that can be perplexing. A new chapter will commence with - he did this and she did that! "Who, who, who?" one frustratingly inquires. Calm down and wait and listen; you will discover. What is he stating? What does he imply? I surely asked myself this numerous times. At times, I was irritated! Do not anticipate an effortless read.

Faulkner's writing abounds in metaphors. Some of them appealed to me, while others did not.

The book has a somber tone. It is harsh. I cannot claim that there is a shred of humor in this book, perhaps except for the ending. I smiled, but do not misunderstand me, one is not joyous while reading this book.

The narration by Will Paton was excellent. The slow drawl and southern dialect further enhanced Faulkner's written words.

When I read this book, I instantly recognized the style. It is difficult to misidentify a Faulkner work for that of another author. Solely for this reason, one should read a Faulkner. Should I simply assert that everyone should endure at least one Faulkner to experience the challenge of his writing?

I appreciate the way Faulkner writes - his style of writing. I was captivated by the plot, and my emotional response was complete.

This is my fifth encounter with Faulkner's works, and also the fifth one this year.

I discovered that this particular piece was rather accessible, and I appreciated the focus on a smaller number of characters.

However, for me, the story effectively ended 50 - 75 pages before the actual conclusion. After that point, it became extremely painful to continue reading.

Throughout the narrative, there is a great deal of disturbing race-related rhetoric. It all centers around a man of dubious character, and the way he is regarded seems to hinge entirely on whether or not he is perceived as black (though a different word is used).

I do have the impression that Faulkner is deliberately doing this to emphasize that people often behave in such a manner. Nevertheless, it culminated in a grotesque ending that is rife with the failings of humanity.

This aspect of the story really made me reflect on the complex and often uncomfortable nature of race relations and how they can be presented in literature.

Despite the discomfort, I believe Faulkner's intention was to make us confront these issues and perhaps gain a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Overall, while this work had its strengths, the ending left a rather sour taste in my mouth.

The plot structure of Light in August is openly dissonant and fragmented.

It is evident that Faulkner had no intention to render some sort of unity or attempt direct narration with this novel. He employs various techniques such as flashback, third person narrative, stream of consciousness, and continuous shifts between different characters.

These methods are used to reveal fragments of the lives of the two main characters, Lena Grove and Joe Christmas. New characters and subplots are added seemingly at random, either to advance the story or to disclose the past of the characters.

The novel can be regarded as a kind of puzzle that gradually reveals itself as one reads on. The disjointed plot forces the reader to actively participate in making sense of the many fragments of the characters' lives and how they influence their actions.

For the discerning reader, it can be a rewarding experience, but for ordinary readers, it might be a confusing one.

The two main characters, Lena Grove and Joe Christmas, do not meet each other, yet the characters who know them often come into close contact.

We learn about the various aspects of their lives through the internal dialogues of the supporting characters and their interactions. Faulkner seems to have deliberately placed them side by side for comparison.

Both are estranged and beleaguered, having deviated from their prescribed social roles. However, their reactions to their predicaments are different.

Joe Christmas is an anguished man who reacts violently, while Lena Grove is unruffled and placid as she searches for her husband.

Lena arrives in Jefferson as Joe's life is unraveling. He has murdered his lover and is accused of arson. Despite the violence around her, Lena remains calm.

By juxtaposing their narratives, Faulkner underlines the contrasting ways in which they react.

Joe destroys and wounds, while Lena is portrayed as a life force, giving birth and bringing new direction to Byron Bunch's life.

The plot involving Reverend Gail Hightower provides another perspective. He becomes aware of the incidents in the lives of Lena and Joe after their arrival in Jefferson.

Faulkner uses him as a brooding, insecure, and contemplative observer. Like the other two, Hightower is also a social outcast.

The suicide of his wife led to his personal decline, and he has secluded himself in his house.

Faulkner uses this plot to inform us about Byron's love for Lena and confirm the intolerant nature of the people of Jefferson.

Another important aspect is the use of fragmented flashbacks to reveal the characters' terrible pasts. Flashbacks are used extensively for Joe Christmas and Reverend Gail Hightower.

They underline the importance of the past on the characters' present actions. Joe is haunted by his past at the orphanage and with the McEacherns.

The line from the book emphasizes this: "A man will talk about how he'd like to escape from living folks. But it's the dead folks that do him the damage. It's the dead ones that lay quiet in one place and don’t try to hold him that he can’t escape from."

In conclusion, Faulkner uses the unusual and disjointed plot structure of Light in August to juxtapose alienated characters in the American South, compare and contrast their reactions, and emphasize the impact of the past on the present.

The fragmented narrative and dissonant plot structure may have been used to highlight the tormented and broken souls of the characters as they struggle with their pasts that refuse to let go.

Perhaps Faulkner’s most ambitious work,

William Faulkner, the Nobel Prize-winning and twice Pulitzer Prize-winning American writer of the twentieth century, was known for his swaggering aspiration and frequent experimentation with narrative techniques and styles. His 1932 publication, before his talent and reputation had fully matured, faced difficulties in getting a favorable reception from publishers. The book sales were moderately successful, and the initial critical response was mixed. However, over time, it has come to be regarded as one of his most important works. In 1998, the Modern Library ranked "Light in August" 54th on its list of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century, and Time magazine also included it in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005.

Exploring themes such as alienation, isolation, social ostracism, racism, sexism, class, and religion, and creating an oblique Christian allegory in the text, Faulkner crafted one of his most captivating novels. Set in his Yoknapatawpha County, the story features a plethora of fascinating characters, with three central protagonists: Lena Grove, Joe Christmas, and Gail Hightower. All three represent victims of various forms of discrimination and the hypocritical ideals of society, yet they each demonstrate dignity and grace in their own ways.

Lena, a very pregnant teenage girl from Alabama, walks into town in search of the man who got her pregnant. Similar to Dewey Dell from "As I Lay Dying," Lena represents the harsh consequences of social and religious ostracism. She is treated better by men than by the ostensibly more sympathetic women, who view her as a fallen and unrepentant girl. Nevertheless, Faulkner portrays her with quiet grace under pressure.

The most compelling character is undoubtedly Joe Christmas, with roughly half the text dedicated to examining him and his background. Found as a newborn infant at an orphanage in Memphis, he appears white but is presumed and later confirmed to have some African heritage. This belief makes him an outcast throughout his life, leading to an ethos of alienation and a reckless antipathy towards the society that rejects him. While he can be seen as a Christ figure in Faulkner’s Christian allegory, his violent nature as a thief and murderer adds a complex layer to this comparison. Additionally, Lena can be seen as a Mary figure, and the minor character Byron as a Joseph figure, although their violent or unorthodox natures may suggest a repudiation or dark satire of the biblical themes.

Gail Hightower, an old man living on the outskirts of town, was once a respected pastor until a scandal involving his wife led to his downfall. Instead of leaving town as he was initially invited and later forcibly compelled to do, he remained and became a pariah, but also an oddly redemptive figure towards the end.

Memphis, the southwestern Tennessee city some eighty miles north of Jefferson (Oxford, Mississippi), has become a site of violence and debauchery in Faulkner’s canon, similar to Sodom and Gomorrah in the context of his Christian allegory.

Correctly labeled as a Southern Gothic novel, "Light in August" contains most of the usual themes in Faulkner’s work and can be considered one of his greatest novels. While it lacks the stream of consciousness narration of "The Sound and the Fury," it shares the dark and murky nature of much of his other work, demanding a great deal from the reader. Ultimately, especially through the character of Lena, Faulkner depicts a scene of hope and perseverance in the face of castigation.

I've been delving into some remarkable books that I read numerous years ago.

I'm not sure if it's because I'm viewing them with more mature eyes, but I've been uncovering new aspects. So far, I haven't been let down. The emotional impact of these great novels persists.

My most recent exploration was Faulkner's Light in August. It may not be Faulkner's greatest work (compare it to Absalom, Absalom), yet it is the most approachable among his outstanding novels.

It features one of the most tragic characters in all of literature: Joe Christmas. Abandoned, institutionalized, and abused for years by his religious fanatic foster-father, he has an uncertain racial heritage and lacks an identity or a center.

He has grown into adulthood as a barely functioning shell, with an interior life that is a jumbled mess of reactions and perceptions he can't begin to understand.

Nevertheless, despite his many internal contradictions, Christmas retains a fragile sense of honor and dignity that guides him towards his destiny.

The "JC" in his name is intended to evoke Jesus Christ. But that's just the beginning, as the book is filled with biblical references.

If Joe is a modern Everyman Christ or even a pitiful Anti-Christ (since he is a killer) crushed by the various fascisms (Percy Grimm) and pathologies of the modern world, the novel also has its Mary in Lena Grove.

She is a young and very pregnant woman who has walked a long way from Alabama to Mississippi, searching (sort of) for the father of her unborn child.

There is a natural goodness in her that attracts men and makes them want to assist her in some way.

In an otherwise rather dark novel, she serves as a symbol of hope, looking forward and capable of overcoming the darkness in the human heart.