Absalom, Absalom
The South in the nineteenth century gave an image of wealth, prosperity, and class. This however was an image, not a way of life. The road to this kind of life was one of betrayal, determination, hatred, etc. The South wanted ownership, it wanted something that it could touch and feel, not something that it could experience. This way of life is best portrayed by William Faulkner in Absalom, Absalom. This kind of life is desired by many people at some level, to show that a person has achieved. People need to have something to demonstrate to the public that they have accomplished their 'dream.' In , Thomas Sutpen is just like any other human being with a dream. He wishes to achieve the greatest goal, wealth. His way of getting to his dream is filled with innocence, yet he kills the dreams of others along the way. Thomas Sutpen did not realize what he was doing to his own future by trying to construct his dynasty. Thomas Sutpen's determination, betrayal , and innocence causes his final downfall. William Faulkner proves to the reader that our future is ultimately doomed as a society if we do not realize the mistakes we make; and in an attempt to fix them, mend the wounds we have created. These mistake
Some of the mistakes we create along the course of our lives are innocent and some are not. Thomas Sutpen did not see the downfall of his dynasty coming, because he never realized that he made any mistakes. Sutpen longed for the life that he could never truly have. In order to enjoy the finer things that he had always wanted, he needed to enjoy them with someone. When he finally achieved a goal, he only wanted more. Sutpen never truly appreciated what it was he had. He was never a happy man. He dug deeper and deeper to find what we wanted on and in this earth, until one day he had dug a hole so deep that it began to cave in. The mistakes that he made stayed unrecognized until the end, and then even he did not notice them. Faulkner tried through telling Sutpen's life, to demonstrate to us that by not taking responsibility in the mistakes we make, and not recognizing that they're there, we will be doomed as a society. We are in fact digging our own graves. Until we can be responsible and caring, as a society, one by one we will destroy ourselves. Where did Thomas Sutpen's desire for wealth originate from? From the moment after he was forced to feel unwanted by those of his 'kind.' After that single moment in Sutpen's entire life he decided that he could no longer be what other people looked down upon. From now on he would be the one to protect and save those who were less fortunate. "...he would take that boy in where he would never again need to stand on the outside of a white door and knock at it; and not at all for mere shelter but so that boy...could shut himself forever behind him on all that he had...(210Faulkner)" Thomas Sutpen did not want another person to be put through the same pain and humiliation that he was on that day. By protecting others he would be recreating the day when he was just a boy. The others that he saved would be replicas of himself at that age. Thomas Sutpen was rejected on the day that he arrived at the house by not only by the owners, but by society. He realized that he was not on a level with the others, as many of us do at a young age, he was lower than the slaves. Young Sutpen couldn't stand this humiliation, and in order to remain sane, he created this dream. This was what kept Sutpen going, in good times and in bad. Sutpen has a long journey to his m
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Approximate Word count = 1568
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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