Chapter 8

In Chapter 8, we found out that the waitress is a prostitute. Her and Joe Christmas have an unusual relationship, one I did not understand in the beginning. Did he actually think that they were dating? Or did he knew from the beginning that she was a prostitute? Also, I think she is one of the prevalent reasons why Christmas hates all women in his life. He thinks that women are the reason to all problems. The waitress's betrayal has supported Christmas's negative view of women. Do you guys think that Christmas will fall in love again though out the story? Or has his first love ruined it for all the rest?

Christmas's Motivation

Throughout chapter 7 Christmas displays little emotion, and seems almost detached from the punishment he receives. Yet, at present day in the novel Christmas is in emotional turmoil, and is impulsive when it comes to facing others. (As shown when he subconsciously pulls the razor on the black people in the street). So what caused Christmas to change? What happened internally when his surrogate father beat him to the point of acceptance of physical pain? And if Christmas truly took after Mr. McEachern, as described in the book, why does he value religion so little?

Joe Christmas

I found it rather interesting that even though Christmas was adopted at the end of chapter 6 he kept the last name of Christmas rather than staying with McEachern. In a way he had a chance to change his identity to fit in a white community. Why didn't take the opportunity?

Chapter 6

In chapter 6 readers will discover Joe Christmas' odd childhood. Christmas  joined the a orphanage at age 5 and was introduced to a dietitian who shower immediate severity. One day Christmas finds the dietitians toothpaste and he eats it but as he eats it the dietitian and Charley, a young doctor, are having sexual relations. Christmas is caught "spying" and is called a "nigger bastard" and is offered 1 whole dollar if he can keep his mouth shut but he humbly refuses. This, the dietitian goes to the orphanages janitor and explains the racial background of Christmas. Drastically, the janitor takes Christmas and flees the orphanage only to be caught. Christmas is then placed in a foster home in which his father will beat him to worship God due to Christmas' last name being sacrilegious. Any thoughts on how Christmas will deal with this new lifestyle(in context to the past)?

Chapter 6 Christmas' Backstory

Beginning chapter 6, we learn more about Christmas and his backstory as an orphan in a rundown and degenerate orphanage. Being half black, he's treated far worse than the other children and we learn how much his society bases opinions off of race. On account of his accused murder, he seems more and more likely to have committed the crime. Do you guys think he's guilty?

Joe Christmas

Whilst reading chapter 5 in class today, one of Christmas' thoughts stuck out for me. "Thinking   All I wanted was peace  thinking, 'She ought not to started praying over me'," (Faulkner, 1985, p. 112). This inclines me to believe that Christmas' "peace" is actually a state of apathy. His following thought, concerning Miss Burden praying over him, confirms this all the more for me. He did not want her to do such a thing because with religion comes hope, and hope merely draws out pain with the notion of optimism. Christmas wishes to repress his past and any reminders of it; perhaps, before, he had hoped and the blow of reality had been too much for him to recover from. Inputs?

Chapter 4

Chapter 4 had a turning point in the plot: Joe Christmas is part black. It astonishes me because that changed the whole situation for the police. Since the police thought that that he was just a foreigner, they were not convinced on believing Brown. As soon as Brown told them he was half black, the police automatically think that Christmas is the murderer. Do you guys think that Christmas is actually the one that killed Mrs. Burden? Or is Brown's story just a way to get fast cash?

Light In August: Ch.4

In chapter 4 a lot has happened and all of it is being explained by Byron to Reverend Hightower. We find out that Ms. Burden was murdered; Brown and Christmas are the suspects. Both of them were no where to be found, until Brown heard about the reward money of a thousand dollars, then Brown goes into town and pins the whole thing on Christmas. When he was explaining what had happened he kept getting stuck when the sheriff asked him questions, he was very fidgety most of the time, and he wasn't certain of his answers. To me all of those are signs of lying and on page 42 Byron states that “And even a liar can be scared into telling the truth.” Having the feeling that Byron is a liar, how is Lena going to react to hearing about her future husband being a potential murderer? What do you think she is going to do?
 

Chapter 4

Mrs. Burden has been killed by the accused Joe Christmas. Mrs. Burden's head had been completely detached from her body and her throat was slit by a person from the town. A rumor spreads that Christmas is half black and he killed Burden out of racial issues. Brown blames Christmas for the killing as a $1,000 dollar reward is offered for the culprit. Consquently, Brown becomes economically viable and blames Christmas for a crime he did not possibly commit? Was it Christmas or Brown? Why, would anyone do this to Mrs. Burden?

Chapter 2

Today in class we read chapter 2 and met Byron, Brown, and Christmas along with other characters like Ms. Burden. Each one seems to keep to themselves and no one really knows much about them. In the end of the chapter, Lena and Byron are talking about Brown. Lena seems suspicious of Brown, I think she believes Brown is really Lucas Burch. Anyone else?

Why all the hating?

In chapter 2 readers are introduced to Joe Christmas who is lonely, ruthless, and almost proud. Joe refuses to talk to his coworkers at his job(the mill) and rumors spread that Joe illegally sells whiskey behind Mrs. Burdens home. Mrs. Burden(negro lover, in context) is a woman whom is white but prefers negros which is practically restricted in the town of Jefferson. Later on, Lena Grove arrives into town only to discover that there is no man by the last name of Bunch. Could these events initialize betrayal leading to isolation?

Inner meaning of Chapter 1

In chapter 1 readers will begin the book with Lena Grove. Lena is from Mississippi but walked to Alabama on her own bare feet. Lena encounters a town in which her brother works and lives in. Overtime, Lena is invited to live with her brother and sister-in-law as she takes care of her brothers children. Subsequently, Lena also becomes pregnant by a man with the last name of Jake(?) Burch. As a result of Lena's pregnancy willingly leaves her brothers home into a world beyond her imagination. As Lena is on this journey she encounters a clash between isolation and disgust from fellow townspeople. As Lena lays in a ditch she is picked up by Mr. Armstid(a civilian of the town) and is invited to stay at the Armstids house for a night or two. As time inevitably passes by, Lena discovers that she is not alone and will receive help from others, as of Mrs. Armstid whom didn't approve of Lena but gave her money to catch a wagon(taxi). As Lena is dropped off at the bus stop by the generous Mr. Aristid she encounters with a man who tells her that her partner in adultery(if you call it that) that her baby's fathers last name is Bunch, not Burch. Lena acquires this information with great and utter confusion. Lena then catchs a wagon and she tells the driver of her situation and as the driver continues on his path he notices two plumes of smoke in which a house may have caught fire. What do you believe that plumes of smoke represented? Overall, Faulkner started off his book with mans humanity to man to portray the willingness in most people, but as the novel continues Joe Christmnas, main character will deal with mans inhumanity to man. Any thoughts on how Faulker will portray Joe's issues? Also, how does Lena symbolize Mary?