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?