Understanding Absalom, Absalom!: Faulkner’s Biblical Roots, Mythic Imagination, and the Southern Psyche

In this episode of The Big Book Project, Lori Feathers is joined by Dr. Larry Allums to launch our collective read of William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom! — one of the most complex and unforgettable novels in American literature.

They unpack the biblical and mythological dimensions of the novel, explore its shifting narrators, and discuss how Faulkner used the story of Thomas Sutpen to expose the South’s tangled history of ambition, race, and memory.

Whether you’re a first-time reader or a lifelong admirer of Faulkner, this conversation offers insight and encouragement as we journey together through the first three chapters.

Highlights

• The meaning behind the title Absalom, Absalom!
• Rosa Coldfield’s rage and unreliable narration
• Sutpen’s “Hundred” and his mysterious design
• The “fever and the disease”: Faulkner’s metaphor for the South’s legacy of slavery
• Why Faulkner’s idea of innocence redefines tragedy

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