Motionless as an Idol - Columbus State University
Motionless as an Idol - Columbus State University Motionless as an Idol - Columbus State University
Bullock 34comes in their ability to "[p]ain[t] the local, but transcen[d] it" (Lind 145). Faulknerexemplifies this quality in Emily's story and in the two novels, seemingly providingdetails about a community's eccentricity but actually speaking to broader truths andpatterns of injustice to women in the post-Confederate South.One of Cezanne's paintings. Peasant with a Blue Blouse (located on page 40), isof particular interest in conjunction with "A Rose of Emily." The piece depicts thepeasant of the title filling the frame of the work, shaded vibrantly and appearingconfident in his bold portrayal. However, upon closer examination of the work, one cannotice a minimized figure behind the left shoulder of the man. She is faceless and paintedin very muted hues. She wears a dress, holds what appears to be a flower in one hand, inthe other, a dainty parasol. The busyness of her hands, both filled with articles offemininity, conveys her inhibited independence. Her attention is directed at the man inthe front of the frame. Henri Lallemand says, "The detail shows a woman with a parasolin her rococo elegance, which contrasts markedly with the rustic peasant simplicity"(126). Such a contrast, while not of class or wardrobe, as in Faulkner's tableau in "ARose for Emily," is paralleled in the posing and personality conveyed through the image.There are other works by Cezanne that also contribute to this idea of socialcommentary and could have inspired Faulkner. One, in particular, The Eternal Feminine(located on page 38), contains "an ironic commentary on the enslavement of the clergyby Woman" (Geist 133). In this painting, the roles are reversed from Faulkner's work, asitis the woman who is dominant; however, the principle remains the same and speaks toCezanne's awareness of the power of female sexuality and its manifestation in society.Henri Lallemand describes the painting with the centralized woman surrounded by men
Bullock 35from all walks of life, ""receiving] ovations from all those [...] while at the same timeremaining distanced and unapproachable" (82). This interpretation echoes the associationof the belle/spinster identity Southern society forced upon women. Faulkner could havetaken from this painting an idea of how to speak to the manifestation of his society's fearand suppression of female sexuality, resulting in the works already discussed and themarginalization of the women within them.Faulkner's idea of modernism is expressed throughout each of the texts, not just"A Rose for Emily." The novels As I Lay Dying and The Sound and the Fury both exhibitelements of modernism through their construction and technical details. Panthea Reidlists some of the methods Faulkner employed to demonstrate his aesthetic:[Faulkner] did use italics, section breaks, and interpolated narratives [...] Hecreated collages that call the readers' attention to the interface between word andimage by literally drawing figures in the texts of The Sound and the Fury, As ILay Dying, and Go Down, Moses. He illustrated the limits of language visually byleaving a blank space in the text of As I Lay Dying. (103-105)While this is not an exhaustive list of the techniques with which Faulkner experimentedin order to find different ways of communicating his Modernist concerns (such as theconstruction of reality, the complexity of time, and the facets of portraiture) it does givean indication of his investment in the nuances of the writing process from a Modernistperspective. Faulkner positioned himself firmly within Modernist discourse, parallel tothe artists he admired. However, just as the Modernist artists in whom Faulkner wasinterested celebrated their localities, so does Faulkner in his exploration of the South; his
- Page 2 and 3: Digitized by the Internet Archivein
- Page 4 and 5: Bullock 2TABLE OF CONTENTSINTRODUCT
- Page 6 and 7: Bullock 4Iseek to establish my argu
- Page 8 and 9: "Bullock 6wrote about the artists w
- Page 10 and 11: Bullock 8As I Lay Dying and The Sou
- Page 12 and 13: Bullock 10Another art metaphor Faul
- Page 15 and 16: Bullock 13essence, both necessary s
- Page 17 and 18: Bullock 15We had long thought of th
- Page 19 and 20: Bullock 17but no longer considered
- Page 21 and 22: Bullock 19Miss Emily as idol, thus
- Page 23 and 24: Bullock 21The art metaphor of Miss
- Page 25 and 26: Bullock 23Community and Religion in
- Page 27 and 28: Bullock 25Faulkner's response allow
- Page 29 and 30: Bullock 27setting. It is this preoc
- Page 31 and 32: Bullock 29male-dominated system whi
- Page 33 and 34: Bullock 31for Faulkner to communica
- Page 35: Bullock 33skewed sexuality and misp
- Page 39 and 40: Bullock 37townspeople, readers can
- Page 41 and 42: Bullock 39one in which male dominan
- Page 43 and 44: The Eternal Feminine, Paul CezanneB
- Page 45 and 46: Bullock 43—. AsI Lav Dying . 1930
Bullock 35from all walks of life, ""receiving] ovations from all those [...] while at the same timeremaining dist<strong>an</strong>ced <strong>an</strong>d unapproachable" (82). This interpretation echoes the <strong>as</strong>sociationof the belle/spinster identity Southern society forced upon women. Faulkner could havetaken from this painting <strong>an</strong> idea of how to speak to the m<strong>an</strong>ifestation of his society's fear<strong>an</strong>d suppression of female sexuality, resulting in the works already discussed <strong>an</strong>d themarginalization of the women within them.Faulkner's idea of modernism is expressed throughout each of the texts, not just"A Rose for Emily." The novels As I Lay Dying <strong>an</strong>d The Sound <strong>an</strong>d the Fury both exhibitelements of modernism through their construction <strong>an</strong>d technical details. P<strong>an</strong>thea Reidlists some of the methods Faulkner employed to demonstrate his aesthetic:[Faulkner] did use italics, section breaks, <strong>an</strong>d interpolated narratives [...] Hecreated collages that call the readers' attention to the interface between word <strong>an</strong>dimage by literally drawing figures in the texts of The Sound <strong>an</strong>d the Fury, As ILay Dying, <strong>an</strong>d Go Down, Moses. He illustrated the limits of l<strong>an</strong>guage visually byleaving a bl<strong>an</strong>k space in the text of As I Lay Dying. (103-105)While this is not <strong>an</strong> exhaustive list of the techniques with which Faulkner experimentedin order to find different ways of communicating his Modernist concerns (such <strong>as</strong> theconstruction of reality, the complexity of time, <strong>an</strong>d the facets of portraiture) it does give<strong>an</strong> indication of his investment in the nu<strong>an</strong>ces of the writing process from a Modernistperspective. Faulkner positioned himself firmly within Modernist discourse, parallel tothe artists he admired. However, just <strong>as</strong> the Modernist artists in whom Faulkner w<strong>as</strong>interested celebrated their localities, so does Faulkner in his exploration of the South; his
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