Light in August

Light in August is a book about the stories of three different people. The stories are of Lena Grove, Joe Christmas, and Reverend Gail Hightower. They were all linked in one way or another, even if they never met. Lena was a simple country girl. However, she was an orphan. But this was one thing she had in common with Joe. Joe Christmas was a cold and hostile person who was uncertain of racial identities. Reverend Gail Hightower was a very important part of this novel because he was the one who linked Lena and Joe together. William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi, on September 25, 1897. His first book published was The Marble Faun. Soon after, he wrote novels such as Sanctuary, The Hamlet, The Town, and The Mansion. These novels explored the post Civil War Southern life. Some of his other novels included- The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, Absalom Absalom, and Intruder in the Dusk. During his life he also won the Pulitzer Prize. In 1949, Faulkner was awarded with the Prize for Literature. William then died on July 6, 1962 in Byhalia, Mississippi. One antagonist working against Lena is the fact that she is pregnant. Society does not totally accept her for this reason. In chapter one the story said how Lena did all the housework and took care of the other children. After this Lena said, I reckon that's why I got one so quickly myself (5). I think Lena taking care of the other children had an impact on her having a child when she did. Some other antagonists I found were traveling and racial heritage. Traveling was a force working against Lena even though she chooses to travel. She does not get to become one with the rest of her society because she does not really have one society if she travels so much. She never stays in one place long enough to get to know the community. For example, right in the beginning of the novel, Lena tries hitching a ride to Jefferson and she manages getti...