Racial Violence in William Faulkner’s Dry September and Harper Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird
With its history of slavery and racial conflict, war and defeat, segregation and lynching, the South is defined by violence and aggression on a personal and community level. This experience defined Southern identity and shaped its literature to mirror the sense of frustration, guilt and shame bursti...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Press
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Linguaculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journal.linguaculture.ro/index.php/home/article/view/26 |
| _version_ | 1818160845862993920 |
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| author | Iulia Andreea Milică |
| author_facet | Iulia Andreea Milică |
| author_sort | Iulia Andreea Milică |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | With its history of slavery and racial conflict, war and defeat, segregation and lynching, the South is defined by violence and aggression on a personal and community level. This experience defined Southern identity and shaped its literature to mirror the sense of frustration, guilt and shame bursting from the heart of seemingly peaceful, ordered and decent communities. Though some authors tend to see violence as a necessary transgression that will, eventually, through painful sacrifice, lay the foundation of a renewed world, others regard it as a trap or a vicious circle which does not allow the South to grow out of the illusion of a glorious past and accept present changes. William Faulkner’ short story "Dry September" and Harper Lee’s novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" deal with an alleged accusation of rape, the victim being a white woman, and the culprit, a black man. Focusing more on the white community’s attitude and telling the story from limited perspectives, the two texts investigate less the black man’s tragedy, dwelling more on the white people’s reaction and the manner in which white Southern identity and white supremacy are constructed on a foundation of violence and intolerance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T16:08:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-14ac6b95ce5b40a6a27f250c8dc634d6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2067-9696 2285-9403 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T16:08:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | Alexandru Ioan Cuza University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Linguaculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-14ac6b95ce5b40a6a27f250c8dc634d62022-12-22T00:59:07ZengAlexandru Ioan Cuza University PressLinguaculture2067-96962285-94032021-05-013110.2478/v10318-012-0019-1Racial Violence in William Faulkner’s Dry September and Harper Lee’s to Kill a MockingbirdIulia Andreea Milică0Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of IasiWith its history of slavery and racial conflict, war and defeat, segregation and lynching, the South is defined by violence and aggression on a personal and community level. This experience defined Southern identity and shaped its literature to mirror the sense of frustration, guilt and shame bursting from the heart of seemingly peaceful, ordered and decent communities. Though some authors tend to see violence as a necessary transgression that will, eventually, through painful sacrifice, lay the foundation of a renewed world, others regard it as a trap or a vicious circle which does not allow the South to grow out of the illusion of a glorious past and accept present changes. William Faulkner’ short story "Dry September" and Harper Lee’s novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" deal with an alleged accusation of rape, the victim being a white woman, and the culprit, a black man. Focusing more on the white community’s attitude and telling the story from limited perspectives, the two texts investigate less the black man’s tragedy, dwelling more on the white people’s reaction and the manner in which white Southern identity and white supremacy are constructed on a foundation of violence and intolerance.https://journal.linguaculture.ro/index.php/home/article/view/26Southern identityracismracial violencelynchingwhite supremacy |
| spellingShingle | Iulia Andreea Milică Racial Violence in William Faulkner’s Dry September and Harper Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird Linguaculture Southern identity racism racial violence lynching white supremacy |
| title | Racial Violence in William Faulkner’s Dry September and Harper Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird |
| title_full | Racial Violence in William Faulkner’s Dry September and Harper Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird |
| title_fullStr | Racial Violence in William Faulkner’s Dry September and Harper Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird |
| title_full_unstemmed | Racial Violence in William Faulkner’s Dry September and Harper Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird |
| title_short | Racial Violence in William Faulkner’s Dry September and Harper Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird |
| title_sort | racial violence in william faulkner s dry september and harper lee s to kill a mockingbird |
| topic | Southern identity racism racial violence lynching white supremacy |
| url | https://journal.linguaculture.ro/index.php/home/article/view/26 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT iuliaandreeamilica racialviolenceinwilliamfaulknersdryseptemberandharperleestokillamockingbird |