Absalom, Absalom!

"The past is not dead. In fact, it's not even past." Although this quote is pulled from one of Faulkner's other novels, it certainly proves true in Absalom, Absalom!. Throughout Absalom, Absalom!,  Faulkner examines memory and perspective by allowing various characters to recall their experiences with the Supten clan. Consequently, distortion, gossip, and speculation ensue making it difficult to parse out the facts, much less the truth. Each different perspective portrays the Sutpens in a new manner, and divulges details about their life, which allows the reader to delve deeper into their back story. Yet, the haunting legacy of the Sutpens still fascinates both the characters that are hearing of them for the first time, and those who have been personally effected.

In Absalom, Absalom!, Thomas Sutpen's allure is derived from not only his odd behavior, but also his mysterious background. He arrives as a foreigner; however, through time, he becomes one of the largest landowners in Mississippi. How? Well, this seems a hard question to answer because a large cloud of uncertainty surrounds him throughout the novel. If his initial appearance with a troupe of wild slaves does not provoke question, then the estate that pops up in two years surely does. Although it appears that Thomas Sutpen is up to some pretty shady business, that, too, is hard to prove. It is clear that Thomas Sutpen is motivated by his childhood; he was born to poor white laborers and saw, first hand, the type of life that awaited him. Where and when he got the plan for his dynasty is nebulous, but, throughout the work, Thomas Sutpen sees his grand design as proof of his own self-worth. He has no emotional concern for his family or human beings; instead, the duties as the architect of his dynasty are always the most important. In this way, it can be argued that Thomas Sutpen is a metaphor for the antebellum south.

In Absalom, Absalom!, there are also a myriad of Gothic elements woven into the story. Quentin becomes obsessed with Thomas Sutpen's past, and the accounts that he hears are akin to ghost stories, which is illustrated in the manner that he relates the tales to Shreve. However the novel is a ghost story without any actual ghosts; the description of the Sutpen's dark past is haunting enough. Additionally, the Sutpen estate goes through a transformation from a remarkable antebellum manor to a mansion that goes into disrepair, eventually becoming engulfed with flames. Gratuitous violence also factors heavily into the plot: slave fighting, the Civil War, Charles's murder, and Sutpen's murder. Also, the theme of madness is also explored through Mr. Coldfield starving himself, and Clytie burning the estate down upon seeing the ambulance on its way to Sutpen's Hundred. 

However, I find the attitudes toward women and African Americans especially interesting throughout the novel. In the case of Thomas Sutpen, he sees women as an accoutrement. He needs a wife in order to both uphold traditional societal standards and polish his image as a southern landowner. A wife and children are essential to his idyllic abstract design; therefore, when he rides into town to seek out Ellen Coldfield its as though he were coming into town just to pick up a part necessary to build his house. He does not take love into consideration at all; instead, their relationship is based on his need for a wife and children, especially a male heir. Thomas Sutpen's limited use for women is also illustrated in his interactions with Rosa Coldfield and Milly Jones. Although Rosa scoffs at Sutpen's sexual advances in order to try for a son, Milly becomes pregnant only to give birth to a girl, which infuriates Sutpen and leads to his own demise. However, in the character of Ellen Coldfield, Faulkner examines both the vulnerable and gullible nature of antebellum women. Although Ellen is terrified of marrying Thomas Sutpen, she slowly becomes enamored with her isolated life, and transforms into the quintessential wife that Thomas Sutpen originally envisioned. She blindly comes to love the life that her husband planned, not one that she originally wanted. 

Faulkner also emphasizes the distinct antebellum race boundaries through the character of Charles Bon. Although Henry Supten manages to look past incest, the revelation that Charles is part black warrants killing him. Charles's ancestry does not factor into the grand plan of Thomas, and Henry can not come to terms with having a brother that is also black. Charles case is interesting because he is only part black: light-skinned enough to "pass". However, as illustrated in the actions of Thomas and Henry Sutpen, the "one drop" rule applies to Charles; he has black blood, and, despite the ratio, he is viewed as an African American in their eyes. Their behavior illustrates that the white majority saw blacks are subordinate, unworthy, and even disposable.