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smithjasont01 's review for:
Absalom, Absalom!
by William Faulkner
challenging
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"He had learned that there were three things and no more: breathing, pleasure, darkness"
Wow what a ride this book was. It certainly wasn't an easy read, jumping from really diverse perspectives, confusing timelines, and unreliable narraators, but it was worth it. This book does so much. We see an allegory of the South, before, during, and after the war, all through this family. From taking power from the land and control of people, to the pride and hubris during the war, to being cast aside and being brought to equals with all men after the war.
There was so much symbolism all throughout the novel. From the whole story being setup like a Greek play, with the town being the chorus, Rosa being the muses, and then Sutpen being the tragic character. Then making Rosa this false unreliable narrator by calling her Cassandra, who in Greek myth was cursed to tell the truth but have no one belive her.
Then comes the religious symbolism. From the sins of the father tropes between the characters having to both repent for what their father has done as well as falling into the exact same sins that he did. Then a character asking as a Jesus like figure and being "sacrificed" to fix the issues. Sutpen acting as a God like figure in his little world.
Then you have the reference of the south. From the poor white folk being able to look down their noses and say well at least I am free to having to deal with those same people now being free and being at the same level as them after the war. You see how the landowner structure took Sutpen as poor kid from western Virginia who had never seen slavery before and warped his mind into thinking that that was the only way to get power and ahead in the world.
Overall while a difficult read it was well worth with.
Wow what a ride this book was. It certainly wasn't an easy read, jumping from really diverse perspectives, confusing timelines, and unreliable narraators, but it was worth it. This book does so much. We see an allegory of the South, before, during, and after the war, all through this family. From taking power from the land and control of people, to the pride and hubris during the war, to being cast aside and being brought to equals with all men after the war.
There was so much symbolism all throughout the novel. From the whole story being setup like a Greek play, with the town being the chorus, Rosa being the muses, and then Sutpen being the tragic character. Then making Rosa this false unreliable narrator by calling her Cassandra, who in Greek myth was cursed to tell the truth but have no one belive her.
Then comes the religious symbolism. From the sins of the father tropes between the characters having to both repent for what their father has done as well as falling into the exact same sins that he did. Then a character asking as a Jesus like figure and being "sacrificed" to fix the issues. Sutpen acting as a God like figure in his little world.
Then you have the reference of the south. From the poor white folk being able to look down their noses and say well at least I am free to having to deal with those same people now being free and being at the same level as them after the war. You see how the landowner structure took Sutpen as poor kid from western Virginia who had never seen slavery before and warped his mind into thinking that that was the only way to get power and ahead in the world.
Overall while a difficult read it was well worth with.