If you have never read Faulkner, you have truly missed out on one of the greatest literary minds of all time. His works are renowned for their complexity, depth, and profound exploration of the human condition.

However, surprisingly, none of his books have managed to make it onto my personal favorite 50 list. When I first read one of his books, I might find it captivating and consider it a favorite. But as time passes, a year later, it seems to fade gradually from my memory.

Perhaps this is a weakness on my part rather than a flaw in the books themselves. Faulkner's writing requires a great deal of concentration and effort to fully understand and appreciate.

Nonetheless, I still look forward to reading the six more books of his that are sitting on my shelf. I am hopeful that with each new reading, I will gain a deeper understanding and perhaps one day, one of his books will finally earn a place on my favorite 50 list.

I found that I liked the people from the hamlet more.

In a small hamlet, people often have a unique charm and personality. They are simple, kind-hearted, and have a strong sense of community. Their way of life is more in line with nature, and they have a closer relationship with each other.

On the other hand, the city seems to lack that kind of personality. It is a bustling and noisy place, full of strangers and high-rise buildings. People in the city are often busy with their own affairs and have little time to communicate with others.

In addition, the tragic-comic parts in the city are fewer. In the hamlet, people's lives are full of various joys and sorrows, and these experiences make their lives more colorful. In the city, however, people's lives seem to be more monotonous and lackluster.

Overall, I prefer the people and life in the hamlet to those in the city.

The Town, the second volume of Faulkner’s Snopes Trilogy, continues the story of the Snopes family. In the first book, The Hamlet, Flem Snopes led an invasion of his relatives into the hamlet of Frenchmen’s Bend. Now, having achieved some success there, he takes his young wife Eula and their new baby Linda to the town of Jefferson, the county seat. Here, Flem uses the new opportunities in Jefferson to further his ruthless ambition and greed for control and money. His marriage to Eula, the daughter of the chief property owner in Frenchmen’s Bend, gives him a great advantage.

The story is told through the eyes of three narrators: Gavin Stevens, a young lawyer; V. K. Ratliff, a good-natured sewing machine salesman; and Charles (Chick) Mallison, Stevens’s nephew. Each narrator provides a different perspective on the events that unfold as Flem pursues his desires. The novel covers a period of approximately 20 years, from shortly after Linda’s birth until she is about twenty. Besides Flem’s story, the book also focuses on Eula and Linda’s attempts to break free from him.

The Town has all the best qualities of The Hamlet, with Faulkner’s entrancing style and well-drawn characters. However, I think it is an improvement on the first book. The use of alternating narrators makes the plot development, descriptions, and scene depictions clearer. The book is also more humorous and entertaining, making it a strange and uniquely enjoyable read. I rate it as 4+ stars.

The Town

You could certainly read this novel without reading the first book in the trilogy, The Hamlet. However, much of the depth of the narrative would not be as profound.

The Town was funnier, moved more quickly, and seemed to be an easier read than its predecessor. I'm not sure if this is because it's the second Faulkner book I've picked up after a long break and my mind is re-familiarizing itself with his prose, or if it's because the story is told from three different points of view, including VK Ratliffe, who seems to listen to rumors and tell stories for a living, and Gavin Stevens, a silver-tongued county attorney. Both of them spin yarns faster and faster in an ecstatic blend of country sayings and Ivy League educated vocabulary, gradually picking up each other's speech habits as the book progresses.

Whatever the case may be, the story is both tragic and hilarious, spanning a period of time in Jefferson immediately after The Hamlet. Unlike that book, with its cotton gins, wagons, and one-room schoolhouses that place it squarely in the "past", The Town is filled with high schools, grocery store chains, baseball, and automobiles, making it seem so much like our own, even if it was nearly 100 years ago. On second thought, it must have something to do with re-acclimating to Faulkner, as my sentences themselves are morphing from short, bullet-like business emails into his meandering syntax that touches on both the world and the mind that perceives it without missing a beat.

Among my least favorite Faulkner novels, "The Town" stands out. I firmly believe that this is precisely what Nabokov - that darn him! - had in mind when he derisively dismissed Faulkner as "corncob chronicles." It's a rather ungenerous and absurd comment coming from a Eurocentric artiste. However, when it comes to "The Town," there is a certain degree of accuracy to it.

Unlike many of Faulkner's other magnificent narratives, this novel lacks the punch and drive that make his works so captivating. It's not quite as if Faulkner is simply going through the motions, but it comes close. I still have a great affection for "The Hamlet," the first volume in the Snopes Trilogy. But unfortunately, with "The Town," there is a significant decline in quality.

In the hands of a less talented writer than Faulkner (and let's face it, that's almost every writer), this would be a mediocre 3-star novel. It's really only recommended for die-hard Faulkner fans who are determined to complete the trilogy.

This novel isn't a work of genius or lost genius.

It rather excels by testifying to Faulkner's humbler (for him) and less appreciated (by us) achievements as a writer.

One of these achievements is his remarkable invention and narration of Yoknapatawpha County.

This fictional county serves as a rich and detailed backdrop for his stories, allowing him to explore a wide range of human experiences and emotions.

Another aspect is his nearness to the materials of love and death.

Faulkner delves deep into the complex and often tragic nature of these fundamental aspects of human existence.

His exploration of love and death is not only profound but also highly relatable, as it touches on the universal themes that we all encounter in our lives.

Overall, this novel showcases Faulkner's skills as a writer in a unique and valuable way, highlighting aspects of his work that may not always receive the attention they deserve.

I think I truly relished the action in "The Town" even more than that in "The Hamlet"!

And this is really saying a great deal when one takes into account the unrelenting nature of Flem Snopes.

The lawyer, Gavin Stephen, emerges as a central narrator, which adds an interesting dimension to the story.

Moreover, there is a rather unexpected death that occurs, keeping the readers on the edge of their seats.

Now, we look forward to the return of Mink Snopes and the final book in the trilogy, "The Mansion"!

Join us at: #FaulknerInAugust2022.

It's going to be an exciting exploration of Faulkner's literary world as we continue to delve into these captivating novels.

Each installment brings new surprises and revelations, making the entire trilogy a must-read for any literature enthusiast.

So don't miss out on this opportunity to engage with the works of one of the greatest American writers.

The communal crisis within the plot of The Town is vividly reflected in the nature of its three narrators: the attorney Gavin Stevens, his pre-adolescent nephew Charles Mallison, and the entrepreneur V.K. Ratliff.

If there were ever any doubts about the extent to which Faulkner intended the town to function as a character in his work, one might find an answer in Charles Mallison's opening to The Town: “when I say ‘we’ and ‘we thought’ what I mean is Jefferson and what Jefferson thought (3).” Just as Faulkner reveals the town's complicity in the crime at the heart of his short story "Rose for Emily," the three narrators will have different views on Jefferson's culpability in the sins of the Snopes, especially Flem and his wife Eula Varner.

Without giving away the plot, The Town tells of Flem's attempt to rise above his sharecropper roots and Stevens & Ratliff's efforts to stop him. Along the way, Stevens is smitten by Eula. Stevens' character evolution alone makes the read worthwhile; the revelations about Eula & Flem are even more astonishing, especially for those familiar with The Town's predecessor, The Hamlet.

One question I pose to other readers is what does Faulkner's frequent use of the phrase "All right" signify? It seems to appear more often than in his other novels, and it often seems ironic since so little is truly "all right."

The other question I have is about the "women" who are not interested in romance (322). Joyce Carol Oates once described Faulkner as a "misogynist," but to me, he seems more misanthropic towards people as a whole and downright affectionate towards individual characters. Eula's take on people is filled with intentional dramatic irony as she tells Stevens about the town gossiping about her affair with a banker: “people are really kind, you know. All the people in Yoknapawtawpha County that might have made sure Mamma knew us for her own good” (329). To claim that Faulkner disliked women more than men is to overlook the collective view of people beyond gender that is presented in this novel. Stevens later remarks that the clergy was “Sent by a damned lot of damned old women of both sexes, including none” (343). Here, the dislike transcends gender, perhaps becoming a definitive statement on lost humanity.

But Faulkner is not a pessimist. Stevens marvels at Eula's "capacity for love," especially when it comes to her daughter Linda Snopes. Far from being an indictment of a gang mentality, the novel raises perhaps the most significant of all life questions: Does a child believe his/her parents possess the passion or capacity to create a child like him/her (305)? Eula resolves her key crisis with a cold consideration of the romance her community has for the role of a woman. How ironic it is that in Southern culture, they really don't like a true rebel like Eula except under certain circumstances.

Life is indeed complicated, and this is vividly depicted in the story.

Flem Snopesin's realm is expanding, and within it, all kinds of underhanded tactics such as cheating and fraud are permitted. It doesn't matter if the victim is a family member, a relative, a friend, or someone else.

The novel improves as it approaches the end. We see a glimmer of hope and a possible resolution to the complex web of events and characters.

Perhaps there will be justice served, or maybe the characters will find a way to break free from the cycle of corruption and deceit.

As we turn the pages, we are left on the edge of our seats, eager to discover how it all unfolds.

A monument is a static structure that simply proclaims "At least I got this far." It stands as a symbol of a particular achievement or milestone. However, a footprint tells a different story. It says "This is where I was when I moved again." A footprint represents progress, movement, and the continuous journey of life.

So you see how much effort a man will put in and the troubles he will create, all in an attempt to safeguard and defend himself from the boredom that comes with a peaceful state of mind. Peace can sometimes seem dull and uneventful, leading people to seek excitement and challenges. They may go to great lengths to avoid the monotony of a calm and contented life.

Whether it's building monuments or leaving footprints, both actions reflect our human nature and our desire to make a mark in the world. We strive for something more, something that will give meaning and purpose to our lives. But in the pursuit of these goals, we must also be careful not to lose sight of the true essence of peace and happiness.

The second installment in the Snopes trilogy presents a new chapter in the lives of the Snopes family. Flem Snopes, the central figure, has now relocated to a larger town, and it appears that he has once again brought along a significant number of his relatives. While the concept of having three different narrators to tell the story was initially intriguing, I found myself growing bored at certain points. The narrative seemed to drag, and I struggled to maintain my full engagement. However, the ending took me completely by surprise. It was a turn of events that I had not anticipated, and it left me feeling a sense of pity for Eula and anyone else unfortunate enough to be related to a Snopes. Overall, while the book had its moments, it did not quite live up to the expectations set by The Hamlet.

The Town, the second installment in the Snopes Trilogy, proved to be a significantly better read for me compared to The Hamlet. Faulkner's writing style remained consistent, as he never veers from his unique approach. The story itself was a touch more captivating, with an added element of mystery that held my interest.

Flem Snopes has departed from the Bend and relocated to the town of Jefferson. There, he begins anew at the bottom rung, yet it doesn't take long for him to ascend to the position of Superintendent of the water company. This is merely the starting point. As is often the case in the author's works, we are privy to the story of Flem's years in Jefferson through multiple narrators. Our old acquaintance V.K. Ratliff, the town attorney Gavin Stevens, and the young Charles Mallison all contribute to the narrative, which is not only Flem's story but also that of his wife, the former Eula Varner, and their daughter Linda. We are informed that Linda was incubated solely by her mother and attracts the same kind of attention that her mother once did in the Bend. Ratliff, as he relates the tale to us, knows the entire story but, like your uncle, enjoys dropping clues and watching us grapple with them. Gavin is too embroiled in the story himself to be a completely accurate narrator, and Charles admits that for much of the tale, he was "not thought of yet" and that he relays to us what he has learned secondhand.

Typical of Faulkner, the truth and what should be believed remain hazy until the very end. However, the writing is truly remarkable, and the characters have developed greater depth as we gain more insight into what motivates Flem. As The Town draws to a close, Flem has accomplished his goals, his position is secure, and he has constructed "The Mansion" that gives its name to the third book in the series.

One thing we can be certain of is that nothing will go smoothly in the final chapter of the story of Flem Snopes.