Selected Short Stories

Barn Burning, the gem of this collection, was the first story I delved into by Faulkner, and it was what kindled my desire to read more of his works. I anticipated long, meandering, and complex sentences that followed the protagonists' stream of consciousness, such as:

'...the cheese which he knew he smelled and the hermetic meat which his intestines believed he smelled coming in intermittent gusts momentary and brief between the other constant one, the smell and sense just a little of fear because mostly of despair and grief, the old fierce pull of blood.'

I was both disappointed and pleased to find that Faulkner employed a diverse range of styles in his short stories. In Two Soldiers and in Race at Morning, the Southern voices of young first-person narrators took center stage, for example:

'I never knowed I was fixing to, and I couldn't stop it. I set there by that soldier, crying. We was going fast.'

In terms of its structure and macabre theme, A Rose for Emily could have been a 19th-century piece by Edgar Allan Poe. However, the point of view feels somewhat innovative: in practice, it is in third omniscient, but technically, the city as a whole functions as a first-person witness. What truly makes this story stand out, though, is its humorous style. Consider this passage, incidentally in line with the gender stereotypes of the times:

'Only a man of Colonel Sartoris' generation and thought could have invented it, and only a woman could have believed it.'

Another aspect that we might attribute to the time period is the racism against Blacks and, especially, Native Americans. Even if Faulkner is given a pass on that count, I wouldn't reread his stories about the Chickasaw: I found Lo! only mildly amusing and Red Leaves confusing and off-putting. Turnabout was another low point in the collection for me, although perhaps I'm to blame for not understanding much about war.

Returning to the good stuff, Dry September alternates between the perspective of a barber attempting to prevent the lynching of a Black man and the point of view of a woman who is the supposed victim being avenged. We are not privy to the thoughts of either of them and only have access to the external world. The barber, whose reliability is taken for granted, serves the function of recording everything around him, as in:

"McLendon whirled on the third speaker. 'Happen? What the hell difference does it make? Are you going to let the black sons get away with it until one really does it?' "

The woman, whose mental stability we are led to question, is captured through a lens, for example:

'Her hands trembled among the hooks and eyes, and her eyes had a feverish look, and her hair swirled crisp and crackling under the comb.'

In conclusion, There Was a Queen experiments with shifts in POV, has an elegant and evocative style, and paints the kind of multigenerational picture that could have inspired García Marquez to write One Hundred Years of Solitude:

'Elnora entered the back yard, coming up from her cabin. In the long afternoon the huge, square house, the premises, lay somnolent, peaceful, as they had lain for almost a hundred years, since John Sartoris had come from Carolina and built it. And he had died in it and his son Bayard had died in it, and Bayard's son John and John's son Bayard in turn had been buried from it even though the last Bayard didn't die there.'

I'm going to take a risk with the credibility of my PhD in Liberal arts by stating this. However, a significant portion of Faulkner's works is overrated.

The story titled "A Rose For Emily" is indeed worth reading. But the remainder of what I endured was truly awful for numerous reasons, and I don't have the time to enumerate them all.

I made annotations in my Kindle edition, and I will disclose them here.

Perhaps it's my personal perspective, but I find that many of Faulkner's other works lack the coherence and engaging qualities that make "A Rose For Emily" stand out.

The convoluted language and complex narrative structures in some of his other stories often make them a chore to read rather than a source of enjoyment.

Nonetheless, I understand that Faulkner is highly regarded in the literary world, and my opinion may be in the minority.

But I feel compelled to share my honest thoughts based on my own reading experience.

Maybe others will have a different take on his works, and that's what makes literary discussions so interesting.

As for me, I'll continue to explore different authors and see if I can find more works that truly resonate with me.

I have a profound love for Faulkner.

His works have always held a special place in my heart. However, in my humble opinion, his novels are truly far superior to his short stories.

The novels of Faulkner have the ability to create rich and complex worlds, filled with vivid characters and intricate storylines. They allow the reader to immerse themselves completely in the fictional realm he has crafted.

On the other hand, while his short stories are also well-written, they often lack the depth and breadth that his novels possess.

The short stories may present a snapshot of a particular moment or idea, but they do not have the same impact as the novels.

Overall, I believe that Faulkner's novels are a true masterpiece, and they continue to inspire and captivate readers to this day.

This is an uneven collection of stories. I really don't know what the logic was behind the selection. Perhaps this is just my own personal bias. You see, I like Faulkner best when he's being, well, FAULKNER. He's excessive, extravagant, and sometimes hilariously overwrought. Just look at this sentence: "She breathed quietly into the crack through which the voices came now without heat or significance out of that dark and smoldering and violent and childlike vanity of men: 'I reckon you know these when you see them then?'" Now that's what I'm talking about!! But sadly, the editors of this volume do not seem to share my opinion. D:

It's a pity that the stories in this collection don't always展现 the full glory of Faulkner's unique style. Some of them seem to lack the intensity and extravagance that I so love about his work. Maybe the editors were aiming for a more diverse range of stories, but in doing so, they missed the mark for me. I would have preferred a collection that focused more on the stories that really captured Faulkner's essence. However, I guess everyone has different tastes, and perhaps others will find this collection more to their liking.

Some of these stories were truly amazing and mind blowing, leaving me in a state of awe. They had the power to transport me to different worlds and make me experience a range of emotions.

However, not all of them were equally captivating. I understand that they must have met certain criteria to be included in this compilation, but for some reason, I just wasn't interested in all of them. Maybe it's because my personal tastes and preferences vary, or perhaps I was in a different frame of mind when reading those particular stories.

On the other hand, the first few stories were absolutely outstanding. They had a unique charm and held my attention from start to finish. But as I got to the middle or end of the compilation, I found myself losing focus. It could be that the stories became less relevant to my current interests, or maybe they just didn't have the same level of excitement and intrigue as the earlier ones. I'm not entirely sure what the reason was, but it did slightly dampen my overall experience.

Nevertheless, I still appreciate the effort that went into compiling these stories, and I'm sure that there are many others who will find great value and enjoyment in them.

It's a bit disappointing. I had expected this work to be more in the vein of Flannery O'Connor. However, the stories within it are rather vague and prove to be difficult to follow. There is no trace of a poetic writing style, and the endings are sudden, which leaves a bit to be desired. I would rate it 2½ stars.

I did like several of the stories, though. "Barn Burning" was quite engaging. The plot was full of tension and the characters were well-developed. "Dry September" also caught my attention. It had a unique atmosphere and a thought-provoking theme. And "That Evening Sun" was another favorite. The story was told in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very end.

Overall, while the collection as a whole didn't meet my initial expectations, there were still some standout stories that made it worth reading.

Some of these stories are truly among William Faulkner's very best.

"A Rose for Emily" tells the tale of a desiccated old maid and her haughty rejection of her town. It is a story that is both mysterious and thought-provoking.

"Dry September" shows how a false accusation of rape can lead to the tragic lynching of a black man, highlighting the deep-seated prejudices of society.

"Mountain Victory" follows a half-Choctaw Confederate as he returns after the war and faces off against Unionist mountaineers in Tennessee,展现ing the complex nature of loyalty and conflict.

"That Evening Sun" is about children playing with their older, black servant at night when she is afraid of her returning, vengeful husband. It is a beautiful and otherworldly story that captures the essence of childhood and fear.

Some of these stories feature classic characters, like the devilish Snopes family in "A Barn Burning" or the Compsons in "That Evening Sun" and "The Sound and the Fury." Others, however, involve almost impossible imaginings, such as the antebellum US President confronting marauding Indian tribes in Washington in "Lo!" or the mythical Indian plantation chieftains ruling from a grounded steamship in "Red Leaves." While these may be harder to believe, they still展示Faulkner's remarkable creativity.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of Faulkner's talents, both the outstanding and the less so. But it is difficult to读完this book without conceding that Faulkner was indeed one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century.

More like 3.5 stars.

Individually, these stories vary quite a bit for me. Some of them are really tough to follow. It's as if they are written in a language that is a bit too complex or the plot is convoluted. On the other hand, some of the stories are close to a 5. They are engaging, have interesting characters, and a plot that keeps you hooked from start to finish.

It's a bit of a mixed bag, really. But overall, I would say that the collection is still worth reading. There are enough good stories in there to make it worthwhile. And even the ones that are a bit harder to follow can offer some interesting insights or perspectives.

I would recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys reading short stories and is willing to put in a bit of effort to understand the ones that are more challenging.