Faulkner Light in August Just

Faulkner Light in August Just as in most of Faulkner' novels, Light in August is hard on religion. In this essay, we will examine the role of religion from the book Light in August by William Faulkner. Specifically, we will see what purpose religion serve in his novel, how religion influences how the characters and how Joe Christmas functions at a Jesus Christ figure.

Unfortunately, as we will see, religion is a functional element of control to keep Blacks down and under White control, hence the reason Faulkner condemns it so vehemently. Analysis-General Religion had functioned as an instrument of control for centuries. This was no exception in the American South in the wake of the American Civil war and the rise of Jim Crow. The background setting of the novel is in Mississippi sixty-seven years after the Civil War had ended slavery in America.

William Faulkner demonstrates the role of religion in racism and how it can be used to justify prejudice and misogyny in the maintenance of white supremacy in a society that is supposedly civilized but is actually only slightly above a barbarism that lurks underneath a surface veneer of gentility.

Examples of the Role of Religion in the Novel and Religious Influences on the Characters in the Novel In the novel, it seems as though Faulkner is able to portray religion as a catalyst that is capable of bringing out the best or the worst in people. Mr. McEachern's narrow Calvinist series of beliefs leave no room for joy or fun and seem to stifle he and his wife's individuality and freedom (Faulkner 60). As they remarked about their new adopted charge that was coming to live with them when Mr.

McEachern remarked that "I make no doubt that with us he will grow up to fear God and abhor idleness and vanity despite his origin (ibid.)." This prejudiced remark taints the Christian charity of taking in the stranger and serves as the mental glue that upholds the pride and sense of superiority in the eyes of the McEachern's that they are among God's chosen and saved elite. Their zealotry is matched only by their bigotry. Further, this is also the case for Mr. And Mrs. Hines who are openly racist.

Mr. Hines uses religion as an excuse to preach white supremacy. Their racist comments about Mr. Christmas indicate this when they remark "They just caught that nigger Christmas.. (ibid. 140)." He was already convicted in their eyes of murder before he had a chance to defend himself like a white man in a court of law. Rather, he was already convicted in the racist kangaroo court of their sick minds.

In contrast to these previous cruel depictions, Byron Bunch does not advertise or preach, maintaining a quiet spirituality that sustains him throughout the novel as we see him protect a woman and child from an abusive paramour. Hightower dubs Byron Bunch as "the guardian of public weal and morality. The gainer, the inheritor of rewards ...(ibid. 147)." He is religious and keeps a low profile in his Christian humility. Byron Bunch is portrayed in stark contrast to Mr. And Mrs.

Hines, our old racists, This is in contrast to religious hypocrites like Mr. Hines that use religion to demean and downgrade from humanity another group of people so that the religious fanatic can feel superior. These airs of superiority are seen again as Hines couple is shown to be prejudiced not just against Blacks, but also against Mexicans as well (ibid., 151-152). Truly, he is an equal opportunity hater that does not discriminate in his distribution of racist zealotry and vitriol.

Joe Christmas as a Jesus Christ Type of Figure In the book, Faulkner portrays Joe Christmas in the mode of Jesus Christ type of figure (ibid., 156-157). Like Jesus, he probably had a stealth sexual relationship with Joanna Burden, an older woman who was descended from a former abolitionist family (ibid., 40). Burden continues her ancestors' struggle for the emancipation of Black emancipation this makes her an outsider in the society of Jefferson, Mississippi much like Joe Christmas.

This Jesus and Mary Magdelene give the example to the little town of human decency even as they are persecuted for that humanity and that decency. Interestingly, religion here functions as much to control white behavior as much as black behavior. The notation of amazement by Hightower that Christmas was staying in the old black cabin would.