Light in August by William Faulkner - Racial Predestination and Redemption - Lecture 25

Explore a 49-minute lecture from Yale University's "Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner" course that concludes the discussion on Faulkner's "Light in August." Delve into the complex themes of Calvinist predestination, race, and tragedy through the lens of Joe Christmas's self-blackening and its connection to Nella Larsen's "Passing." Examine Hightower's role in delivering Lena's baby as a pivotal moment between tragedy and comedy, and analyze the comic elements in Lena Grove and Byron Bunch's courtship. Gain insights into Faulkner's symbolic use of lighting matches, the concept of double-consciousness, and the author's exploration of marriage and community. Note that the lecture contains graphic content and adult language that may be disturbing to some viewers.

- Chapter 1. "Passing" in Light in August
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- Chapter 2. Joe Christmas's Redoubled Double-Consciousness
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- Chapter 3. The Symbolic Pattern of Lighting a Match
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- Chapter 4. The Racialized Predestination of Joe Christmas
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- Chapter 5. Joe Christmas's Lack of Agency
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- Chapter 6. Hightower as the Midpoint Between Joe Christmas and Lena Grove
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- Chapter 7. Giving Hightower a Second Chance
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- Chapter 8. The Wisdom of Crowds
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- Chapter 9. Faulkner's Use of the Kindness of Strangers as a Multitude
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- Chapter 10. Faulkner on Marriage
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