William Faulkner as Sociologist: An Adventure in the Sociology of Literature

My basic problem will be not to prove that Faulkner is, was, a sociologist or to suggest that his works be required reading in courses in sociological theory, but rather, to show in what sense and what areas his and the role of sociologist overlap. A. thorough reading of the major Faulkner novels, a sorting-out and. probing of his passages relevant to the field of sociology seems the most productive way to begin tackling the problem. First the effort will be made to grasp his ideas in context, then to extricate and analyze them out of context. The relationship of Faulkner to trends in contemporary sociology requires a treatment on many levels. We will first need to compare the artistic and sociological techniques. Then we shall want to look at Faulkner\u27s work itself and to consider his use of the sociological perspective. Aspects in the writings of William Faulkner to be given special emphasis are culture and personality, the regionalism, social class and mobility, and occupational structure as reflected in his major literary themes, symbolic constructions and character development