A Fable is a 1954 novel written by the American author William Faulkner. He spent more than a decade and tremendous effort on it, and aspired for it to be "the best work of my life and maybe of my time".[2] It won the Pulitzer Prize[3] and the National Book Award.[4] Historically, it can be seen as a precursor to Joseph Heller's Catch-22.
The book takes place in France during World War I and stretches through the course of one week in 1918. Corporal Stefan, who represents the reincarnation of Jesus, orders 3,000 troops to disobey orders to attack in the brutally repetitive trench warfare. In return, the Germans do not attack, and the war stops when soldiers realize that it takes two sides to fight a war. The Generalissimo, who represents leaders who use war to gain power, invites his German counterpart to discuss how to restart the war. He then arrests and executes Stefan. Before Stefan's execution, the Generalissimo tries to convince the corporal that war can never be stopped because it is the essence of human nature.
Following the execution of the Corporal, his body is returned to his wife and his sisters, and he is buried in Vienne-la-pucelle. However, after the conflict has resumed, the Corporal's grave is destroyed in a barrage of artillery. The spirit of the Corporal has transferred to a British message runner, who eventually confronts the old Generalissimo.
Critical analysisedit
In his contemporary review of A Fable, Philip Blair Rice noted that the novel returned Faulkner in subject matter to the one general subject that engaged him besides Mississippi: the First World War.[5] Dayton Kohler, in his contemporary analysis of the novel, discusses an approach to the novel through myth.[6] Ernest Sandeen has elaborated in detail on the parallels between the corporal and Jesus Christ.[7] Julian Smith has noted similarities between A Fable and Humphrey Cobb's novel Paths of Glory.[8] Frank Turaj has examined opposing images and themes in terms of the dialectic in the novel.[9] Thomas E Connolly has discussed the relationship of the three main plots of the novel to each other.[10]
Richard H. King has interpreted A Fable as the one major attempt by Faulkner to depict political action in his novels, and has characterized the novel as "Faulkner's failed political novel".[11] Robert W Hutten noted Faulkner's reworking of material originally from the story "Notes on a Horse Thief" into A Fable.[12] William J Sowder has analyzed in detail the character of the Generalissimo.[13]
^Blotner, Joseph, Faulkner: A Biography (one volume edition). University Press of Mississippi (Jackson, Mississippi, USA), ISBN1-57806-732-4, p 576 (2005).
^ ab "Fiction". Past winners & finalists by category. The Pulitzer Prizes. Retrieved 2012-03-28.
^ ab "National Book Awards – 1955". National Book Foundation. Retrieved 2012-03-31. (With acceptance speech by Faulkner and essays by Neil Baldwin and Harold Augenbraum from the Awards 50- and 60-year anniversary publications.)
^Rice, Philip Blair (Autumn 1954). "Review: Faulkner's Crucifixion". The Kenyon Review. 16 (4): 661–664, 666–670. JSTOR 4333535.
^Kohler, Dayton (May 1955). "A Fable: The Novel as Myth". The English Journal. 44 (5): 253–260. doi:10.2307/809492. JSTOR 809492.
^Sandeen, Ernest (January 1956). "William Faulkner: His Legend and His Fable". The Review of Politics. 18 (1): 47–68. doi:10.1017/s0034670500023573. JSTOR 1404940. S2CID 145246768.
^Smith, Julian (November 1968). "A Source for Faulkner's A Fable". American Literature. 40 (3): 394–397. JSTOR 2923777.
^Turaj, Frank (Spring 1966). "The Dialectic in Faulkner's A Fable". Texas Studies in Literature and Language. 8 (1): 93–102. JSTOR 40753888.
^Connolly, Thomas E (July 1960). "The Three Plots of A Fable". Twentieth Century Literature. 6 (2): 70–75. doi:10.2307/440699. JSTOR 440699.
^King, Richard H (Spring 1985). "A Fable: Faulkner's Political Novel?". The Southern Literary Journal. 17 (2): 3–17. JSTOR 20077762.
^Hutten, Robert W (May 1973). "A Major Revision in Faulkner's A Fable". American Literature. 45 (2): 297–299. doi:10.2307/2924456. JSTOR 2924456.
^Sowder, William J (Spring–Summer 1963). "Faulkner and Existentialism: A Note on the Generalissimo". Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature. 4 (2): 163–171. doi:10.2307/1207153. JSTOR 1207153.
fable, tigran, hamasyan, album, album, other, uses, fable, disambiguation, 1954, novel, written, american, author, william, faulkner, spent, more, than, decade, tremendous, effort, aspired, best, work, life, maybe, time, pulitzer, prize, national, book, award,. For the Tigran Hamasyan album see A Fable album For other uses see Fable disambiguation A Fable is a 1954 novel written by the American author William Faulkner He spent more than a decade and tremendous effort on it and aspired for it to be the best work of my life and maybe of my time 2 It won the Pulitzer Prize 3 and the National Book Award 4 Historically it can be seen as a precursor to Joseph Heller s Catch 22 A FableFirst edition coverAuthorWilliam FaulknerCover artistRiki Levinson 1 CountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishPublished1954 Random House Media typePrint hardback amp paperback Preceded byRequiem for a Nun Followed byThe Town Contents 1 Synopsis 2 Critical analysis 3 Awards 4 ReferencesSynopsis editThe book takes place in France during World War I and stretches through the course of one week in 1918 Corporal Stefan who represents the reincarnation of Jesus orders 3 000 troops to disobey orders to attack in the brutally repetitive trench warfare In return the Germans do not attack and the war stops when soldiers realize that it takes two sides to fight a war The Generalissimo who represents leaders who use war to gain power invites his German counterpart to discuss how to restart the war He then arrests and executes Stefan Before Stefan s execution the Generalissimo tries to convince the corporal that war can never be stopped because it is the essence of human nature Following the execution of the Corporal his body is returned to his wife and his sisters and he is buried in Vienne la pucelle However after the conflict has resumed the Corporal s grave is destroyed in a barrage of artillery The spirit of the Corporal has transferred to a British message runner who eventually confronts the old Generalissimo Critical analysis editIn his contemporary review of A Fable Philip Blair Rice noted that the novel returned Faulkner in subject matter to the one general subject that engaged him besides Mississippi the First World War 5 Dayton Kohler in his contemporary analysis of the novel discusses an approach to the novel through myth 6 Ernest Sandeen has elaborated in detail on the parallels between the corporal and Jesus Christ 7 Julian Smith has noted similarities between A Fable and Humphrey Cobb s novel Paths of Glory 8 Frank Turaj has examined opposing images and themes in terms of the dialectic in the novel 9 Thomas E Connolly has discussed the relationship of the three main plots of the novel to each other 10 Richard H King has interpreted A Fable as the one major attempt by Faulkner to depict political action in his novels and has characterized the novel as Faulkner s failed political novel 11 Robert W Hutten noted Faulkner s reworking of material originally from the story Notes on a Horse Thief into A Fable 12 William J Sowder has analyzed in detail the character of the Generalissimo 13 Awards edit1955 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 3 1955 National Book Award for Fiction 4 References edit Modern first editions a set on Flickr Blotner Joseph Faulkner A Biography one volume edition University Press of Mississippi Jackson Mississippi USA ISBN 1 57806 732 4 p 576 2005 a b Fiction Past winners amp finalists by category The Pulitzer Prizes Retrieved 2012 03 28 a b National Book Awards 1955 National Book Foundation Retrieved 2012 03 31 With acceptance speech by Faulkner and essays by Neil Baldwin and Harold Augenbraum from the Awards 50 and 60 year anniversary publications Rice Philip Blair Autumn 1954 Review Faulkner s Crucifixion The Kenyon Review 16 4 661 664 666 670 JSTOR 4333535 Kohler Dayton May 1955 A Fable The Novel as Myth The English Journal 44 5 253 260 doi 10 2307 809492 JSTOR 809492 Sandeen Ernest January 1956 William Faulkner His Legend and His Fable The Review of Politics 18 1 47 68 doi 10 1017 s0034670500023573 JSTOR 1404940 S2CID 145246768 Smith Julian November 1968 A Source for Faulkner s A Fable American Literature 40 3 394 397 JSTOR 2923777 Turaj Frank Spring 1966 The Dialectic in Faulkner s A Fable Texas Studies in Literature and Language 8 1 93 102 JSTOR 40753888 Connolly Thomas E July 1960 The Three Plots of A Fable Twentieth Century Literature 6 2 70 75 doi 10 2307 440699 JSTOR 440699 King Richard H Spring 1985 A Fable Faulkner s Political Novel The Southern Literary Journal 17 2 3 17 JSTOR 20077762 Hutten Robert W May 1973 A Major Revision in Faulkner s A Fable American Literature 45 2 297 299 doi 10 2307 2924456 JSTOR 2924456 Sowder William J Spring Summer 1963 Faulkner and Existentialism A Note on the Generalissimo Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature 4 2 163 171 doi 10 2307 1207153 JSTOR 1207153 Awards Preceded byThe Adventures of Augie MarchSaul Bellow National Book Award for Fiction1955 Succeeded byTen North FrederickJohn O Hara Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title A Fable amp oldid 1164795510, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
