Poverty as Theme in Faulkner and Hurston

Explore the theme of poverty in the literary works of William Faulkner and Zora Neale Hurston. Read about their life experiences and how it influenced their writing. Discover the similarities and differences in their treatment of poverty. Get insights into the social complexities of contemporary America.

Running head: POVERTY AS THEME IN FAULKNER AND HURSTON
Poverty as Theme in Faulkner and Hurston
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1POVERTY AS THEME IN FAULKNER AND HURSTON
Annie Alexander
Professor Watson
English 2363
21 October 2018
Poverty as Theme in Faulkner and Hurston
In the year of 1950, William Faulkner received Noble prize for his contribution in
literature. His acceptance speech was so overwhelming that it is considered one of the best
speeches in the history of Noble prize. A closer reading can expose the fact that his early life
in Mississippi has influenced his works at a lerger scale. When it comes to analysising the
creations of Faulkner, readers can observe the theme of southern renaissance, poverty and the
timeline of 1920’s has been highlighed greatly. The entire southern region experienced rapid
transformation during the lifetime of the author. Threfore, he has experienced several
unpleasant incidents in the backdrop of capitalist society. Unplesant memories of world wars,
depopulation and migration of people from southern rural region keep coming back in the
writings of Faulkner (Peyser, Thomas: 8) . A typical style of writing can be recognised where
he has offered dimensions of southern lifestyle as per his own experience. Faulkner was a
member of elite class family thus used to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle for generations. He used
to own slaves, domestic servants and leased lands to domestic farmers even.
Although, having such fortune, he was extreamly moved by the modernisation of
southern region from a perspective of young generation who is both a struggling artist and
returing soldier. Although, Faulkner had an aspiration to join the United States Army, he was
not acknowledged for his short height and ended up being a member of the British Royal
Flying Corps as an alternative. The beginning of 1920s, until the outbreak of World War II
was the most creative period of Faulkner’s career. According to Call, Jordan : 3, one of his
noted work ‘ As I lay dying’ has potrayed the tragic details of modernization as far as the

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abrupt end of life of commoners from the southern region is concerned. As per the reading of
Butchart, Liam, ‘As I lay dying’ narrates the story of a poor family experiencing consequent
disastars in Mississipi during 1920’s. Although, the structute is complex, this is simple from
the setting of Burdeners where readers can spot a farming family from northern Mississippi
experiencing poverty.
As far as the theme of poverty is concerned, it has been understood from the previous
discussion that his early life and experiences have influenced his writings at a huge scale. In
this context, one of his most profound short story can be mentioned. “Barn Burning”, written
in 1938, in a slightly comical way, has received high appreciation (Kirchdorfer, Ulf: 11).
Apart from writing numerous short stories, 13 novels were published as examples of
Faulkner’s great work. The central focus of this short story, “Barn Burning”, revolves around
multiple themes. The theme of loyalty to the family and loyalty to the legislature of the
country has been introduced in the first part of the story. Apart from that, how a ten-year-old
boy shows courage and stands beside the right choice; that is the central concern of the
excellent short story. As argued by O’CALLAGHAN : 161, the theme of poverty keeps
coming back as the protagonist belongs to a poor tenant farmer family who live in hunger
much like above-mentioned works of Faulkner.
There were numerous young writers, who were much influenced by his style of
writing. The influence was so distinct that it was prominent in most of the literary works of
that period. The method and style was amazingly hypnotic. However, critics argue influenced
writers tried to fit in the subject was more important than following a particular style. His
methodology of writing influenced the young and receptive talent the most. As he was one of
the most eminent literary figure of American literature, he suffered greatly from envy and
scorn of other eminent rival authors like Earnest Hemingway. He is universally
acknowledged possibly to be the unique modern fiction writer of American literature.

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Literature has all the answers of human frustration or the confusions, which we face
in our daily life. We keep questioning ourselves about what we do not understand; it can be
any regular phenomenon of human life or some complex internal turmoil. Literature help us
to understand the life better by simplifying various complicated aspect. As Marcel Proust has
argued by saying, “In reality, every is, while he is reading, the reader of his own self. The
writers work is merely a kind of optical instrument which he offers to the reader to enable
him to discern what, without this book, he would perhaps never have experiences in himself.
And the recognition by the reader in his own self of what the book says is the proof of its
veracity”.
In midst of capitalist American society people were consistently losing their identity
and a continuous quest for self-discovery has been identified. People of that time were lost in
the middle of chaos; alone, seeking for ethical significance within smallest joys of life and
most importantly struggling to get out of the stereotypes of society as far as ethnic race, class
or community are concerned. “Barn Burning” clearly has depicted ambiguities of
contemporary timeline and people’s perception. According to the author, Chickasaw Indians
were the native dwellers of Yoknapatawpha County. After the invasion of whites in 1800,
natives formulated a plantation to become country’s elite. All of them belonged to second
rank background of Virginia or people from older southern seashores and Eastern coasts.
They started to demand the privileges, which were not available for them previously. People
were aggressive too in this matter. These simple, non-eminent, poor, rural communities were
subjects of Faulkner’s creations.
On the contrary, Zora Neale Hurston, according to Gibson, African American writer
from Harlem group herself was a member of a tenant farmer family. Besides being a tenant
farmer and carpenter, after moving to America his father used to hold the designation of
Mayor incorporating first black community of the country. She received proper education and

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completed her studies being a graduate of Anthropology. The shift has been noticed in her
career when she opted for writing novels between the timeline of 1930s to 40s instead of
choosing a career of a research scholar. Her life was surrounded by extreme poverty and
serious health concerns. She suffered from a deadly stroke before her death in 28 January
1960. ‘Their eyes were watching God’ received great appreciation among all her novels as it
deals with the quest for self-fulfillment of a woman about her. Moreover, it brought her
immense fame making her one of the prominent literary figure of American literature. It is
considered as her best fiction as it reflects her early experiences of rural life within black
community. Her account of autobiographical note, as elaborated in Pietka, Rachel: 110, “Dust
tracks on a Road” (1942) and “Sweat” is praiseworthy amongst her fictional short stories. As
stated by Carter, Bryan : 457, her literary contribution to Harlem renaissance is remarkable.
Towards the end of 1950s, Hurston disappeared from the public sphere and spent her last
years of life within intense poverty and physical suffering. Her dead body was buried under
an unmarked grave of Negro cemetery with the help of country welfare home, after an appeal
was posted.
She is noted one of the most influential women writers during 20th century, who has
received immense support from feminist writers like Alice Walker afterwards. Their Eyes
Were Watching God made a space across country’s English curriculum considering its
subject and representation of contemporary stereotypes of society.
The short story ‘Sweat’ narrates story of a marriage where dominant masculine
characters can be seen. The theme of patriarchal society has been noticed as she describes
typical lifestyle of working class African Americans. Masculinity was dominant that time yet
they did not have much to do as abusing and gossiping were the primary tasks they used to
do. Therefore, the secondary gender oriented suffering and struggles have been portrayed
here.

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Although, two of them belonged from different socio-economic background, yet both
have experienced similar societal crisis and turmoil. Therefore, several similarities have been
found in treatment of both the short stories as well. Both of them discusses the crisis of
African American race, social class and poverty. Whereas, Faulkner focuses at the theme of
justice, right judgment, poverty, prejudice and independence, according to Hembrough, Tara:
170, Hurston delineates the theme of women empowerment, domestic abuse, patriarchal
society and of course poor social status. The treatment of poverty can be identified as basic
genre of both the writers.
Acknowledging this background, Benjamin Franklin’s saying comes in mind
repeatedly. As per his perception, “Poverty often deprives a man of all spirit and virtue; it is
hard for an empty bag to stand upright.” Apart from traditional reasons, there are reasons like
warfare, corruption, wastage of food and agricultural lands and environmental degradation.
Besides, lack of proper system in managing regional resources, population density, lack of
literate people and hunger have made the situation worse. These areas are being exploited by
unfair trade norms and people are becoming addicted to various intoxication like alcohol.
As described in sociology, the timeline from 1970 to 1980 has its importance as far as
social structure is concerned. That time was topsy-turvy in terms of poor financial condition
and unhealthy lifestyle of people. People were responsible for their own hardship because of
the prolonged history of black community. Thinking according to the sociological way, help
us to understand social issues and perspective better. It permits us to think critically over the
issues of poverty and racial difference what was prominent in the backdrop of contemporary
America. Popular political discussions are extremely dominant by such topics of social
complexities. According to Veeser, Harold: 42, in order to understand the prolonged history
of poverty among the particular black community readers must undertake historical context
of wars and social crisis. Poverty being the central concern of the literary works of both the

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author, presented the contemporary socio-economic crisis with masterstrokes of literary
narration.
To conclude, it can be said that poverty has an extended role-play far beyond absence
of food and shelter or being jobless. Poverty leads to an unhealthy lifestyle decreasing
necessities. As per the readings of Bible, poor will be with us always. On the contrary, truth
is discouraging for many people. Both the short stories deliver an idea that poor will be able
to survive by God’s grace. People confronts with poverty in numerous ways and different
forms as well. Most of the time its linkage with the race or community degrades the pride of
ethnicity. Race, community and culture have various unique qualities, which can be
distinguished from the idea of poverty. However, the early culture of United States, narrates
the story of poverty among the African Americans mostly.

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References
Butchart, Liam C. "Death, Mourning and Human Selfishness: Faulkner's As I Lay Dying
Through a Freudian Lens." PsyArt(2015): N_A.
Call, Jordan. "Make or Break: The Effects of Traumatic Experience on Sympathy in As I Lay
Dying." Criterion: A Journal of Literary Criticism 6.1 (2013): 3.
Carter, Bryan. "Virtual Harlem: Experiencing the New Negro Renaissance." A Companion to
the Harlem Renaissance(2015): 457.
Gibson, E. L. "ENGL 364-01, The Harlem Renaissance, Spring 2013." (2013).
Hembrough, Tara. "Writing as an act of self-embodiment: Hurston, Moody, and Angelou
combat systemic racial and sexual oppression." Journal of African American
Studies 20.2 (2016): 164-182.
Kirchdorfer, Ulf. "Don’t Do It on My Carpet: The Humor of William Faulkner’s “Barn
Burning”." American Studies in Scandinavia 46.2 (2014): 3-15.
O’CALLAGHAN, E. O. I. N. "William Faulkner, Whiteness, and the Transnational Short
Story." Atlantic Crossings in the Wake of Frederick Douglass: Archaeology,
Literature, and Spatial Culture (2017): 161.
Peyser, Thomas. "Faulkner, Jews, and the New Deal: The Regional Commitments of ‘Barn
Burning’." The Cambridge Quarterly 42.1 (2013): 1-19.
Pietka, Rachel. "There Is No Me Like My Statue: Life and Text in Zora Neale Hurston's Dust
Tracks on a Road." Pacific Coast Philology 49.1 (2014): 99-111.
Veeser, Harold. "Professing the Renaissance: the poetics and politics of culture." The new
historicism. Routledge, 2013. 31-52.

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