Absalom, Absalom! (Chapters 1, 2) by William Faulkner - Book Summary, Analysis, Review

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Absalom, Absalom! In-Depth Playlist: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJa2fKiBrJariLc Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/thecodexcantina Bookmarks: Chronological Summary @1:56 Narrators @7:15 Chapter 1 Analysis @12:01 Chapter 2 Analysis @19:10 Old South Allegory @22:05

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Thanks for watching!

[@lostinabookcase3796]

I've never heard of a book detailing its whole plot in the first chapter! It kinda reminds me of Greek tragedies, where the audience goes in and already knows how the play will end

[@TheCodeXCantina]

lost in a booKCase Yes. I suspect you are right. There are quite a few tragedy comparisons to be made. We will spend the entire chapter 7 going over some of the tragedy structure comparisons 😉

[@michaelknight4041]

This book, and Faulkner in general I think, is kind of meant to be read by the right side of the brain if you know what I mean. "I feel depressed" lol! yes! It's strange how even when you're kind of lost as far as the literal meaning of what's happening you still "feel" the mood and emotional information that's being conveyed. Thats probably my favorite thing about Faulkner is his ability to communicate on a different almost subconscious level.

[@Guesswhoboo12]

Thanks, guys. This is a hard read for me. I appreciate the walk through.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Oh yes, always easier when you can talk through it with others. Hope you enjoy the book

[@coopaloopmex]

You guys are AMAZING! I'm reading through this book now and having you two as a companion is very helpful. THANKS!

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Thanks! It’s a lot of hard work and there are always things I want to change but hearing kind feedback like this really helps! Appreciate it!!

[@ΑνδρομάχηΜαντζανίδου-ψ8ζ]

Tehank you guys!

[@stevendreith4343]

The narrative is really difficult for me, and I appreciate how you say I'm not alone. Even though Faulkner's books are a challenge, I enjoy being in his world and feel like I'm in a bygone era, that's still alive.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

For sure! That’s a great way to put it

[@BookishTexan]

Well done! I was looking forward to this and it did not disappoint.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Bookish Thanks, sir. That means a lot

[@MetalGearChris1]

I HAVE NO WORDS TO THANK YOU!!!! awesome videos!!! Absalom, Absalom! is my best book and I understand it at the first time reading (2020 helped with the situation...) but your analysis is so pro that i now realize i missed some facts and themes! THANK YOU!!!

[@TheCodeXCantina]

I appreciate the kind words. I always love hearing different perspectives on this book

[@kenneynicolecasas8092]

All I can say is Thank you.

[@susanthursdays5008]

Just found you after reading Absalom, Absalom! - and I remained in need of a discussion, lll lol; or, ... Help!! ( At times, I was drowning !!). Thank you for doing this, I need rescuing from a heavy force, suffocating me under relentless prose, by a narrator(?) that seemed to be able to go on and on without taking a breath! Let’s just say, I wasn’t always able to see the forest for the trees .. lol - - Thank you so much!

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Ha, I think I make a comment on that in the Rosa chapter and someone asked if I had ever met a southern lady before :D

[@davidklingenberger3030]

It is so great to have found you. Thank you for exploring this text. I am excited to read it. As you say, it seems correct that there is a narrator that is not a character in the novel. The first eleven paragraphs of chapter two are not told by Mr. Compson but by an unnamed narrator. Paragraph twelve begins Mr. Compson's narration with quotation marks: "Then one day he quitted Jefferson for the second time," Mr. Compson told Quentin. "The town should have been..." The narrators in chapter one are trickier and more varied.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Awesome, thanks for sharing the excerpt!

[@QuestLegacy]

Love following this breakdown. Lately I've struggled with unreliable narrators in a few stories and this seems like it would yet another difficult element in dissecting this book -- figuring out who is trustworthy for what?

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Michael Knipp which books have had that effect for you?

[@QuestLegacy]

@@TheCodeXCantina Some kindle unlimited mystery/thrillers. They were the first time i'd ever seen that tactic really used in such a strong way. I can't remember the names, but there were two I read late last year.

[@Starscreamlive]

Excellent breakdown and analysis! In chapter 2, I very much agree that there is a 3rd person narrator in play, not sure how omniscient it is though. The town narrates part of the story just as the chorus does in an ancient Greek drama. Compson is the strophe to the town's antistrophe perhaps even. Faulkner makes reference to strophe and antistrophe later on in the novel. How do you feel about Sutpen as a character so far? Likable character or despicable? Despite all that Miss Rosa says about him, overall I feel sorry for him. Rosa and the town are out to get him in their narrations, but.... well, I don't want to spoil anything just yet for those who haven't finished it.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Starscreamlive Spoil? You just said spoilers don’t count 😂 Yeah, definitely the chorus role for the town. I love the way each chapter really adds so much color to your view of Sutpen!

[@christianstone4724]

After 2 prior failures, I finally finished Absalom (squared) yesterday. Really appreciate your analysis and explanation. A very difficult book that is like a self imposed torture to read. But it is a work of genius and I feelna sense of accomplishment 😅

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Congrats!

[@johnoyler9203]

Excellent analysis. Sutpen married Ellen for respectability, not additional wealth. Coldfield was a struggling, but respectable storekeeper.

[@demidrek-heyward]

sweet content!

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Thank you! Some of these take a lot of work so receiving comments like this really helps motivate us!

[@audreydaleski1067]

Its my favorite.

[@audreydaleski1067]

A rose for miss Emily. The town replaces 1st person...

[@EveryoneWhoReadsitMustConverse]

Woah! You guys are beasting booktube!!! I ❤️ it! Finishing up April strong and May looks to be awesome 😁

[@TheCodeXCantina]

We're lovers, not fighters. Just ask us.

[@zharapatterson]

When will you go into William Faulkner's The Snopes Trilogy? I read it not to long ago, and I want to understand what I read.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

This summer

[@audreydaleski1067]

There was a wisteria.

[@keouine]

MI isn't the abbreviation for Mississippi. I thought it was MS.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

You're right, it's "MS"

[@Guesswhoboo12]

Oh, I just noticed. Guys, are those Terry Goodkind novels in the background?! I am 99.9% sure that they are. I have mine here beside me too! *highest of fives*

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Oh yes. Krypto is a very large fan. I’ve told him he needs to film a bookshelf tour some day! -Una

[@audreydaleski1067]

The eomen knew.

[@benzandpour]

OK, I’m still with you! Good job. But why do all the narrators sound the same? No one talks like that: complex one-page sentences with dense vocabulary. I could see the 3rd person omniscient narrator do that, but the different characters?

[@TheCodeXCantina]

I think I made a comment on Rosa’s long dialog at some point in this series along those lines and some commented that I must not have met many elderly Southern women 😂😂😂

[@audreydaleski1067]

I trust rosa.

[@susanthursdays5008]

So, who was Ellen’s and Rosa’s mother? - and did these to women have the same mother, as well as other siblings?? I understand Rosa’s mother died birthing her, however, what about Ellen. I suppose she was simply too young, perhaps, to be influenced and/or protected by her mother(?) - I ’ve figured it doesn’t seem to matter, however with a man like Thomas - who’s not just ‘MAN o’the town’, but who’s also married into these women’s family, it IS a curiosity (to me) , if not for Faulkner or this story - Perhaps for those of us who love fleshing out a character’s relations - “show me a ‘___’ friends’ , and I will better know ‘him or her” - that kinda thing. And so is compelling to want to know “MORE” of any maniacal landowner & complex character living at this time in the South ... ohhh! If ‘margins’ could only speak!!!, Sorry, I’ve only listened to the audio so, so much escapes me. Perhaps Faulkner did speak of Ellen’s mom (?); I do realize that Rosa was surrounded with unnamed ‘aunts’ (i think??) - who seemed a mystery; who could they be - perhaps sisters or sister-in-laws of Ellen’s parents? I do realize that book really begins the ‘story’, once Ellen and Rosa are already ‘grown’. And, that their ‘mother’ dies during Rosa’s birthing, leaving Rosa with a ‘brother-in-law’ that she grew to despise, a sister for whom Rosa may have had little respect, though I missed those ‘cues’, and a niece and nephew with whom Rosa, seems to have had life altering tensions - especially, regarding Henry. - I’m saying this, a more of a question or inquiry than statement, as other than the passing of Rosa’s mom at the time of Rosa’s birth, the other dynamics between Rosa and: Ellen, and Rosa and Judith and the ‘aunts’, are all a bit foggy to me - but I’m hoping I will understand more by listening to this book ‘study’. (Ty) I really must make the effort to find a copy of Absalom, Absalom! I can afford... lol - Is true, that I need the ‘hard copy’ text to truly appreciate this book, and many of aspects I love the most, beyond the story, itself.Tthis IS fascinating, I’ve never been able to read, let alone ‘absorb’ or understand any of this; and had I read it at school ( ... lest I had an excellent mentor, still I’d likely have squandered the lessons that ‘this student’ was ill prepared and lacked desire to understand). - but that’s all water under the bridge, now. - What I do know is that I love this book, as a fan and lover of the art of writing - the characters, the writing styles, the sophistication, the insanity, the brilliance, and the truth & the lies; and, be damned(!) anyone who’s beholden to any ideology that could taint their judgement such that they’d try to prevent any voice from telling stories real and/or imaginary and so powerful and valuable for us to explore thought throughout America’s history, via such literature as, Absalom, Absalom! If I ‘think it’! or if I say it or if I write it down; I pray we will always us USE OUR MINDs & VOICES to continue our rich art of ‘’story-telling’’, - life & liberty ALIVE!!! Faulkner had to be ‘downloading all’ or ‘tripping’ or just very very gifted to express, pen to paper; a raconteur of a time & about a time and about a place in our world, such that these writings are so deep, so brilliant, so raw, real and messy - full of opinions and POV’s , telling on life, ‘such as life is’, for better and often to expose, in all reality, lives at their worse. And, through Faulkner, what was but gossip of life’s true tragedies, is hair spun into gold, and thus was born a work of art! I know ‘audio’ is not ideal, but for someone like me with very limited resources, plus ‘obstacles in my brain-wiring’ to accurately receive information from ‘language-based sources (almost everything I love), it’s most helpful for me to ‘see the words’, but it’s also helpful (for me) to, ‘hear the words’. I do very well with audio, with closed caption. One w/o the other, makes a book like this, nearly impossible for me to understand. Optimally, is audio together with the ‘printed book’ - that’s my priceless mix! I just want to express my sincere thanks to such kind, thoughtful, insightful and generous guys here at Codex Cantina Thanks to y’all - I’m able to put most of the characters, events, and context together in a way that exposes and communicates most of the essential meaning, thank you. ... You’re kind and thoughtful analysis, provides me with a comprehension I’d not be able to master, if I did not have a partner,mentor or reading group. So, thank you for all you’ve done, here! I truly DO need the ‘book’ sad; but true(!) - in the meantime, thank you from the bottom of my heart. And If anyone sees this, please give me you’re ‘absolute best’ literary ‘referrals ’. Bless you ☮️ 💕 💕 😊 🤗

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Not too much is known about the mother as she wasn't characterized or even given a name (I believe). He didn't seem to want to explore that side but sometimes that can help isolate the children more. I hear you on limited resources and audio only. I'd have a hard time understanding the story without the text. I don't think audio is bad or inferior but I find myself re-reading and flipping back frequently with this text. It's very hard to do that with audio so I'm not sure I could really do that with this text. It's really impressive what you've picked up with just audio! Well above what I'd have been able to pull. A very useful resource when looking up characters and relationships is the digital yoknapatawpha database. Here's a link that could help in some of your questions: faulkner.iath.virginia.edu/family/characters/

[@dylanmahoney4889]

Distilled and then hyperdistilled

[@dylanmahoney4889]

This book really reminds me of blood meridian, which is no surprise, Cormac obv was a huge fan of Faulkner. Also George rr Martin, like you guys said revisions of or past are not always the truth.

[@DarkBetweenPages]

Ahhh. I am pulled to watch this but I know I shouldn’t since I have this on my shelf to read soon! But I’m so curious!

[@TheCodeXCantina]

"Soon" sometimes becomes "now." Let's do this!

[@DarkBetweenPages]

The CodeX Cantina I couldnt agree more. But my review reads come first! :) I have my review reading planned into August now for indie authors. :) Once I have caught up on those than I will. My authors always come first :). But I am still wanting to watch these. I may have to come back and watch them after I have got to it! :)

[@audreydaleski1067]

Swaggers, even on a horse.

[@audreydaleski1067]

Half. Brother.

[@audreydaleski1067]

Rosa

[@Gryphonisle]

Couldn’t subscribe from my TV, like/dislike buttons were there but no subscribe.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

TV is out to get us!

[@Gryphonisle]

@@TheCodeXCantina I’ve had this same issue at other YT channels. I can hit like but when I go to subscribe, there’s no button for it except here, on my iPad. I’m wondering if it’s an A-Fire problem?

[@Gryphonisle]

I should say I’m enjoying Absolom, Absolom! having gotten your insight.

[@audreydaleski1067]

She could have married him after her sisters death.

[@bitsoflit]

God save me William Faulkner would be a lot more readable if he used some punctuation! I’m really taken away by the voice of both chapters. Really interesting to try and piece the puzzles together. As soon as supten started coming and going and suddenly started going to church so didn’t trust him. I mean chapter 1 had its view point, but I definitely felt like his actions are awful and they’re also shady.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Rollercoaster doesn't stop until the end either!

[@oceannoah945]

Yeah I tend to believe women.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Good thing to do 👍

[@LaVictoria6751]

I think this is a good analysis. But I noticed thet the guy in black shirt interrupts and does not let the other speaker (in the orange shirt) to finish his discussionl I noticed it a couple of times and I think it's extremely rude to do that. Please, more respect for the word of others. Pay attention and watch it for yourselves. The black shirt guy thinks his interpretation is the only one valid? Very different from what Faulkner's readers learn from this text. What a shame for him.

[@TheCodeXCantina]

Thanks for reaching out. The guy in the black shirt is Una and the red shirt is Krypto. This was earlier on in our filming adventures and we are not professionals. So there are lots of things, then and now, that we try to improve. At the time of this filming, Krypto had a tendency to repeat himself at the end of his conclusions. So while recording, I’m actually letting him finish his thoughts just fine. This added lots of time and we thought it wasn’t necessary and may be offensive to viewers to keep hearing the same thing. We jointly made the decision to move to the next part of the discussion with editing. We cut out the content that was repeated from Krypto by having Una transition to the next point which comes off as interrupting after the editing. It sounds like you may interpret his actions much differently than we intended. We’re best friends and have a lot of respect for each other and I’m sure it can appear to be Una cutting off Krypto’s talk with how this came across in editing. We’ve since improved our performance and hope it can be more enjoyable for viewers but hopefully you can maybe see what’s happening behind the scenes now. As for do I, Una, think that my view is the only interpretation that is valid. Of course not. I think we’ve touched on how personal literature can be and how we absolutely encourage people to share their views. We may sell an angle with a video but that doesn’t mean we are trying to shut down discourse in any form. Thanks for sharing this view and I know others may have thought the same thing. Hopefully, this clears things up.

[@LaVictoria6751]

@@TheCodeXCantinaHello, Una, thanks for your explanation about the editing of the video. Overall, I think it's a great program with an excellent analysis. It's worthwhile to follow your channel and I appreciate your work that helps us to understand the complexity of Faulkner's writing.