Christmas and murder

A Light in August is one of the most religious Faulkner novels that we've read yet. Not only does the title suggest it (Christ, light), but the characters all searching, the omniscient third person (Godlike) narrator, and the plot itself all mirror/juxtapose common Christian motifs. This is not to say that everything in this novel should be read with the intention of only understanding elements through a Christian perspective. No, I think Faulkner would cringe, and he is clearly quite critical of the Christian way of life anyway, shown through characters like Miss Burden and Reverend Hightower and their contrasting, yet imperfect, employments of faith. The interesting turn taken on A Light in August that does not necessarily fit, or must be made to fit and be understood differently than the Bible, or any spiritual readings, is the fact that if there was a Christ character it would be Joe Christmas, and his events unfold because he has slain his father. Is this a take on modern Christianity? Is this a symbolic reference to Faulkner's idea of a "new" Christ who symbolically disavows everything the supposed God and supposed Bible have taught the world? From this extensive soul-searching of Christmas, all that seems to be produced is more soul-searching, and then death. I feel like throughout a lot of Faulkner's writing, there are these characters who are put next to classic figures of Greek or Christianity in order to highlight their depravity in comparison. Joe Christmas would be one; a societal comment sounding something like: "there was once, and now this."

The killing of one's father is undoubtedly representative of the slaying of an archetype in any situation. Faulkner most likely represents this action as what propels a character to self-exploration, doubt, and isolation, to comment not just on the instability/stability provided for young by a father—but by all patriarchal elements of society. Faulkner was ahead of his time in thought, no doubt, and existed in a southern realm where "ahead" usually translates to "weird". So this severing of cords is symbolic, I think, for Faulkner. At some point, a talented person has to make a distinct decision: Are they going to follow the crowd, go along with established ideals, and join a circus of sameness, or are they going to cut themselves out of the mold in hopes to be "great"? Subconsciously perhaps, Faulkner's decision (even though I in no way think Faulkner is mirroring himself in Joe Christmas) is explained right here in this book. Not only is Faulkner displaying the cutting-off from societal norms, but that of certain mindsets. Of course, this action does not come without consequence. For Joe Christmas, trial, isolation, death. For Faulkner, however, it is to be determined what "price" he felt he payed for his devotion to soul-searching over praising the masses.

And perhaps this is the rub: Religion has become the code for the masses in one sense or another. It's become a crutch, an excuse, and a club... especially in the south where culture is so rich that new customs are harder to catch on. Faulkner looks at the stagnation of religion with a critical eye, acknowledging that truth mostly exists outside the realm of the "taught".