William Cuthbert Faulkner
- Born:
- September 25, 1897, New Albany, Mississippi, USA
- Died:
- July 6, 1962, Byhalia, Mississippi, USA
- Nationality:
- American
- Profession(s):
- Novelist, Short Story Writer, Screenwriter
Early Life and Education
- Faulkner was the eldest of four sons of Murry Cuthbert Faulkner and Maud Butler.
- He dropped out of high school in 1915.
- He briefly attended the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) from 1919 to 1920.
- He joined the Royal Air Force as a cadet in 1918 during World War I, though the war ended before he saw active service.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began his literary career writing poetry and short stories.
- Developed a distinctive style characterized by stream-of-consciousness, multiple narrators, and complex sentence structures.
- Created the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, as the setting for many of his works, exploring themes of Southern history, race, and decline.
- Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949 (awarded in 1950).
- Won two Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction (for A Fable in 1955 and The Reivers in 1963, posthumously).
- Worked as a screenwriter in Hollywood, contributing to films such as The Big Sleep and To Have and Have Not.
Notable Works
- The Sound and the Fury (1929)
- As I Lay Dying (1930)
- Sanctuary (1931)
- Light in August (1932)
- Absalom, Absalom! (1936)
- Go Down, Moses (1942)
- A Fable (1954)
- The Reivers (1962)
Screenwriting Credits (Selection)
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Today We Live | Based on his short story "Turnabout" |
| 1946 | The Big Sleep | Adaptation of Raymond Chandler's novel |
| 1955 | Land of the Pharaohs |
Legacy and Impact
The enduring legacy of William Cuthbert Faulkner rests on his innovative narrative techniques, profound exploration of Southern identity, and unflinching portrayal of human complexity. The life of William Faulkner as an author is distinguished by his experimental style and deep engagement with the social and historical forces shaping the American South. His work continues to be studied and celebrated for its literary merit and its contribution to understanding American culture.