Essay: The Raid as Historical Fiction, Characteristics and Analysis

This essay provides an in-depth analysis of William Faulkner's short story, 'The Raid,' arguing that it functions as a work of historical fiction. The essay examines how the story utilizes key characteristics of the genre, such as its portrayal of the American Civil War, its exploration of themes related to nationhood and cultural awareness, and its depiction of the social and moral complexities of the time. The analysis highlights the story's portrayal of the war's impact on individuals and society, the dissonance between past and present, and the racial dynamics present in the narrative. The essay also discusses the importance of cultural awareness and the use of secondary sources to support the interpretation. The story is analyzed through characters like Granny, Bayard, and Ringo. The essay concludes by emphasizing the story's significance in articulating the concept of nationhood through its exploration of the past.

Running head: THE RAID AS HISTORICAL NOVEL
The Raid as Historical Novel
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

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Introduction
Historical fiction refers to the literary genre where plot takes place within setting
which is located in past. The historical fiction are set in the past and it talks about the
manners along with the social conditions of the period which has been depicted (De Groot, p.
4). The American author William Faulkner wrote The Unvanquished that was set within
Yoknapatawpha County. It comprises of seven short stories that were published within The
Saturday Evening Post: Ambuscade, Retreat, Raid, The Unvanquished, Vendee, Drusilla and
An Odor of Verbena. This essay states that The Raid is a historical fiction and it comprises of
many characteristics that are the hallmarks of the historical fiction. This essay argues that The
Raid asserts claim pertaining to nationhood by portraying the subjugation of the blacks at the
time of American Civil War that makes it a historical work of fiction. This essay elucidates
that there exists an atmosphere of the fundamental strangeness in The Raid by depicting the
scene of the burned houses which is a dominant characteristics in relation to the historical
fiction. This essay discusses that the story necessitates the cultural awareness on the part of
the readers that is a trait of historical fiction.
Discussion
A dominant characteristics of the historical fiction is that it articulates the concept of
the nationhood with the help of the past. The story unfolds at the time of the American Civil
War and the effects of the historical event are manifested in the characters present in The
Raid. Faulkner have communicated the ethos of the war and the horrors that are let loose in
the society by the mechanism of the war (Anderson, p. 8). Faulkner have shown destruction
and the confusion which accompany the war with the help of the series of incidents in the
work. The story articulates the trauma that the black people had to face in the society as they
had to wander aimlessly in countryside looking for River Jordan of the biblical tales and their

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efforts in reclaiming their position in the society. The blacks wanted to reclaim their rights on
the land and bring about an end to the discrimination in the society. The story shows the
evidence of the burned houses in land along with destroyed railroad tracks that bears
testimony to the grave dangers that are put in the society by the war. The bridges were blown
by the Yankees that caused the death of a large number of black people that the Yankees
were supposed to protect. The war wreaks havoc on the society and on the individual people
and it leaves bitter memories in the minds of the people.
The story shows the dissonance in between the past and the present that leaves an
effect of the disunity and the confusion on the society. It have been brought out with the help
of the following lines in the story:
“It was as if Ringo felt it too and that the railroad, the rushing locomotive which he hoped to
see symbolized it- the motion, the impulse to move which had already seethed to a head
among his people darker than themselves, reasonless, following and seeking a delusion, a
dream, a bright shape which they could not know since there was nothing in their heritage.”
(Cowley, p. 102).
Granny, Bayard along with Ringo set out for the Alabama within which the sister
Louisa resides. Denny took Bayard along with Ringo to that of railroad where they witness
railroad ties being dug up and which were burned within the heap. Steel rails had been pried
up and they were wrapped around the trees (De Groot, p. 8). The scene leaves an uncanny
impression on Ringo and his dream was shattered as he found that the rails were torn up. It
shows the difference in between the past and the present that stirs up Ringo as he had to
understand the futility of his present state of the country. It shows contrast in between child’s
view of the war and horrible destructive acts of the war. The childhood dream of the boys
pertaining to the world of the magic were destroyed after he witnessed the scene. Destruction

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of railroad represents destruction of southern culture and it shows the decay of old order of
the society. It shows a transition in the society and the evils that were set upon in the event of
the passing of the old social order.
The work creates a sensation of the fundamental strangeness with the help of the
chain of the events in the short story. Granny and the boys have passed the burned houses and
they witness scenes of the gruesome destruction. They marvelled at the changes that have
been brought about in the landscape in the changing times that have made the setting strange
for the characters. They saw a black woman who was carrying a baby and she fell behind that
made Granny stop wagon. She allowed black woman for riding in wagon however black
woman wanted to get off from the wagon. Ringo told Granny that woman thought that she
had found the group of the blacks however it was not visible for the other people. It instills an
element of strangeness that bodes over the entire narrative of the work. The woman was
deceived by the illusions in her mind that made her see the apparitions that imbibes
strangeness in the work. Ringo feels that the black woman would again lose her own people
that speaks of the strangeness of the atmosphere of the work.
“The Raid” assumes the historical knowledge on the part of the reader that can be said
to be a dominating trait of the historical work of fiction. Novel is instrumental in describing
Southern moral code and how it undergoes the changes at the time of the war. The author of
the work assumes that the readers of the work would be acquainted with the historical events
that can be said to be a trait of the historical fiction (Anderson, p. 10). There exist racial
questions permeating the work and the book reveals evidences of racial insensitivity. The
migration of the slaves for searching River Jordan can be said to be a haunting image of the
injustice that the readers are supposed to be aware of for knowing about the their condition
and predicament in America (Cowley, p. 112).

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An important characteristics of the historical fiction is the increasing social along with
the cultural awareness that informs the work. The metafiction can be said to be a form of the
fiction which emphasizes its constructiveness that can remind the reader that they are viewing
a work of fiction. It is a tool that helps in exploring relationship in between the literature and
the reality. The incidents that have been brought out in the literary work have resonance in
the incidents of the present age that leaves a grave mark in the mind of the readers of the
fiction. The story shows the supremacy of the whites and the persecution of the blacks that
have been brought out with the help of the imagery of the river scene where blacks are
moving about and feeling lost. They do not have any direction in their life on account of the
gruelling circumstances that they have to face in their life. The racial discrimination still
pervades in the present age and the story is a stark reminder of the humiliation that a section
of the population have to face on account of the fact that they are racially inferior to the other
people in the society. The blacks flee into that of the river and they drown in trying to find
“promised land”. Value of entire South have been reversed during the course of the wartime
story and the story shows that the innocent people are suffering in the society. Granny along
with the other people in the short story ponder about needless destruction along with needless
loss of the life that have been wrought by the war in the society. The story shows that Granny
along with Drusilla are concerned regarding safety of the blacks however on deeper reading
the people can understand that they do not conceive of blacks to be more than that of the
slaves. The story also reveals the hypocrisy on the part of the people that is a stark reminder
of the conditions prevailing in the present time.
The story is concerned with the social movement and it evokes the empathy of the
people. Rosa Millard is accompanied by Bayard and the slave Ringo for reclaiming the silver
of the family that was confiscated by Union troops who were instrumental in burning Sartoris
plantation house. The main focus of the story is on the aspect of journey from Yankee

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encampment within Tennessee and it raises the broader issues pertaining to fate of the former
slaves who have to travel during the night time towards Union Army so that he could find “
Jordan” and the freedom. Story helps in addressing changing realities of the African
Americans within South after the emancipation that makes the readers aware about the social
issues of the time. Emancipation Proclamation was instrumental in freeing people who were
in bondage within the framework of the rebellious states. The story talks about the
representation of the Union soldiers which is in contrast to that of consequences of the total
war. Granny acts as the great humanitarian in the work however she does not consider the
blacks to be more or less than that of the slaves. She used to provide them with the food and
give them the money however she used to remain lady of that of “old order” who did not
understand the concerns of a black man. She used to ask the blacks to go to their home
without realizing the futility of her saying. She was not capable of understanding causes that
provoked Civil War that speaks of the hollowness residing in the minds of the people in the
society.
Conclusion
An important characteristics in relation to historical fiction is that it helps in
articulating concept of nationhood by taking recourse to past. Story takes place during
American Civil War and impact of historical events are brought out in characters who are
present in The Raid. The story have been able to communicate ethos of war along with
horrors of the war that are brought about in the society with the help of war. The story reveals
dissonance between past and present and it gives rise to confusion within the framework of
the society. Denny, Bayard and Ringo go to the railroad in which they see that railroad ties
have been dug up and burned in heap. Scene leaves a strange impression on Ringo and he felt
that his dreams were shattered when he saw that rails had been torn up. Story deals with
social movement and it is instrumental in evoking empathy of people. The story addresses the

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changing realities of African Americans that took place after process of the emancipation
which can make readers conscious regarding social issues of time.

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References
Anderson, Perry. "From progress to catastrophe." London Review of Books 28 (2011): 24-28.
Cowley, Malcolm. The Portable Faulkner. New York: The Viking Press, 1946.
De Groot, Jerome. The historical novel. Routledge, 2009.