Light in August by William Faulkner, Characters, Summary, Analysis

Light in August is a Southern Gothic and Modernist novel by William Faulkner that was published in 1932. The novel is naturalistic with a violent subject matter accompanied by death and the effects of the past. The Southern Gothic genre, unlike the Gothic genre, doesn’t rely upon mystery, suspense, and the supernatural. Rather, Southern Gothic literature tells stories of dark humor, depicting the problems of society by developing complex characters. Southern Gothic literature typically focuses on the history of South America, racism, slavery, civil war, fear of the outside world, fear of change, and violence. The novel is written in modernist style telling many stories with acute polarities like good and evil, light and dark, the burden of past on present, and fragmentation of individual identity in parts. The novel tells stories of various alienated characters and their struggle against a Puritanical rural society.
Alienation is a major theme of the novel. All the major characters of the novel are misfits and social outcasts despised and disdained by the local society. Joe Christian and Lena Grove are both orphans. While Joe Christian gets violence, disdain, and repulsion from society, Lena Groove is looked down upon yet gets assistance and help during her journey. Lena is still accepted because she continues to search for the biological father of her child and hence, agreeing with the conventional norm that men are responsible for a woman’s well-being. Lena represents nature and life. In a way, Faulkner suggests that though men have lost their instant connection with nature, women still possess it. Gail Hightower and Joana Burden both belong to high-class society though they are poor now. Both are despised by the local community who continues to try to make them run away. Byron Bunch is more acceptable in society but he is a lonely and shy person by his own nature. Faulkner has used Christian allegory throughout the novel. Joe Christian resembles with the passion of Christ, Lena Grove and her fatherless child reminds of Mary and Christ. Byron Bunch is reminiscent of a Joseph figure.
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