Opinions on Faulkner?

[zjacks]

I have read "The Sound and the Fury", "Barn Burning", "Absalom, Absalom!", and "A Rose for Emily", and I have to say while his writing is incredibly dense, the stories are amazing. As a Southerner, I relate to Quentin's struggle to come to terms with his mixed feeling about the South in the aforementioned two novels, and the narrative surrounding placemaking and identity are amazing.
I do, however, have some qualms with his use of racially-insensitive language, and the way he deals with race and slavery in his works.
What do you think?

[BelleReadsNietzsche]

I have only read "As I Lay Dying" and "Light in August." I have to agree with you, however! His writing is not just dense but challenging. However, his perspective on characters, his ability to get in their heads and surprise you, is incredible. I am not an American Southerner, but he seems to capture that cultural and geographical area well.

I truly don't remember the way he deals with racial topics in his books. It has been awhile. I would suspect that it is imperfect and even troubling at times, if only due to the era and his own background.

[Joe Hadithi]

I gave up on Faulkner when I found his writing too much work. In hindsight, this might not have been best, and I think I will try just one more time.

[VSuraj]

I'm not from the US, but I read The Sound and the Fury and I really enjoyed it. I like how Faulkner cleared up many things in the later half of the book that would have been confusing at first from Ben's perspective.
The book was actually compulsory reading for an undergrad literature course, and I didn't regret it. The course taught me a lot about Faulkner and how his works influenced modern American literature.

[Lady-of-Literature]

Interesting theory. I am also a southern but my feelings towards it at the moment are not nearly as conflicted.

[Bigwig1973]

I haven't read a lot by William Faulkner. I did read Barn Burning and As I Lay Dying. I wrote a paper on the latter in college. I like how Faulkner writes, but sometimes the stories are strange, as was As I Lay Dying. It was kind of depressing and sad, a bit gruesome in parts. It is sad. If you haven't read it, I don't want to ruin it. Whenever I think if the book, I ignore all the negative by focusing on one of the strangest chapters in literature which occurs in this book when the youngest child, I think Vaardman says, "My mother is a fish". That is the entire chapter. I would recommend the book, it's just depressing.

[beatrice_mom]

I haven't read it yet, but was thinking about it for some time, always had some other priorities or problems. I am not sure about would I read it or not but I still consider it as a good chance to spend time. Your rewies are good and they make me remember about it.

[Onyinyechi Obi]

I think this bedrock of his work and makes the book interesting. I’m not saying the racial slur is good but it is in a way needed to make the work as good as it is.