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¶ … William Faulkner on Toni Morrison
Great writers always bring their own flair and style to their genre, but even the best in literature do not work in a vacuum. Writers are often influenced by their predecessors, and Toni Morrison is no different. The type of work first immortalized by William Faulkner is clearly evident in her novels, and she not only uses some of the same techniques but takes them to new levels. Both Faulkner and Morrison write in a complex dialect and stylized manner that can be difficult to decipher on a superficial level. Both writers cover similar subject matter in their novels: complex familial relationships, including incest. And, Faulkner and Morrison both frequently address issues of race and identity in post-slavery America.
Black characters populate the novels of both Faulkner and Morrison, and they speak in the natural rhythms of their dialect. In Go Down, Moses, the use of dialect is apparent when a black man speaks: "Ha,' Tomey's Turl said. 'And nem you...
I got protection now. All I needs to do is to keep Old Buck from ketching me unto I gets the word'" (Moses 12).
This use of dialect is also seen in Morrison's novels, including The Bluest Eye: "Dillinger wouldn't have come near you lessen he was going hunting in Africa and shoot you for a hippo'" (Bluest 54).
For both novelists, the use of dialect helps create the reality of being black.
Faulkner and Morrison are well-known for their controversial approaches to depicting family relationships, and neither shies away from discussing traditionally forbidden subjects, such as incest. In The Bluest Eye, Morrison tells the story of Pecola Breedlove, an unattractive girl who is devalued by her family and eventually molested by her father. Morrison's novel focuses on how racism shapes identity and leads to unconscionable consequences for the Breedloves: "After [Pecola's father] impregnates Pecola and she is beaten by her mother for it, Pecola (with the treachery of…
Works Cited
The Bluest Eye." Literature, Arts and Medicine Database. 51st Edition, Oct. 2003. 7 Dec 2003. http://www.endeavor.med.nyu.edu/lit-med-db/webdocs/webdescrips/morrison1086- des-.html>
Faulkner, William. Go Down, Moses. New York: First Vintage International, 1942.
Morrison, Toni. The Bluest Eye. New York: Penguin, 1970.
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