40 pages • 1 hour read
William FaulknerIntruder In The Dust
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1948A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Background
Authorial Context: William Faulkner
William Faulkner was born on September 25, 1897, in New Albany, Mississippi. Faulkner was the eldest of four sons. When Faulkner was a young boy, he and his family moved to Oxford, Mississippi, a town that would later become the fictional Yoknapatawpha County in many of his works. Faulkner’s early life was steeped in the lore and traditions of the American South, which profoundly influenced his literary themes. Faulkner’s works are characterized by their innovative narrative techniques, including stream of consciousness, multiple viewpoints, and time shifts. His exploration of themes such as the decline of the Old South, the complexities of identity, and the pervasive influence of history and memory resonated with both contemporary readers and future generations.
Intruder in the Dust, published in 1948, tells the story of Lucas Beauchamp, a Black man wrongly accused of murdering a white man in Mississippi. Faulkner’s portrayal of Lucas Beauchamp is notable for its depth and complexity. Unlike many African American characters in literature of the time, Lucas is depicted as a dignified, intelligent, and resourceful man who commands respect despite the racial barriers he faces. This characterization challenged the prevailing stereotypes and provided a more nuanced view of African American life and agency. The novel’s reception was mixed but generally positive. Many critics praised Faulkner for his bold treatment of race and his willingness to confront uncomfortable truths. Faulkner’s engagement with the themes of race and justice in Intruder in the Dust can be seen as part of his broader literary project. Throughout his career, he consistently grappled with the moral and ethical dilemmas posed by the South’s legacy of enslavement and segregation, even when it meant facing criticism or controversy.
Faulkner’s achievements were recognized with numerous awards and honors. In 1949, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature, a testament to his impact on the literary world. His acceptance speech, which emphasized the writer’s duty to explore the human heart in conflict with itself, remains one of the most celebrated in the history of the prize. Faulkner also won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction twice, for A Fable (1954) and The Reivers (1962), further cementing his legacy as one of the United States’ greatest writers. William Faulkner passed away on July 6, 1962.
Historical Context: Segregation in the South
Intruder in the Dust was published during the 1950s, a period that was marked by significant racial segregation, tension, and inequality. The roots of segregation in the South can be traced back to the post–Civil War era and the implementation of Jim Crow laws. These laws, named after a blackface minstrel character, were designed to maintain white supremacy after the abolition of enslavement. By the early 20th century, these laws had institutionalized a system of racial apartheid that affected every aspect of life, from education and employment to housing and public accommodations.
Segregation was legally sanctioned by the landmark Supreme Court decision Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), which established the doctrine of “separate but equal.” This doctrine provided legal justification for segregating public facilities, as long as the segregated facilities were purportedly equal in quality. In reality, facilities for Black Americans were vastly inferior to those for white Americans, reflecting the underlying intention to subordinate Black Americans. Schools were strictly segregated, with Black children attending separate, underfunded schools. Segregation extended to all public spaces, including restaurants, theaters, parks, and restrooms, as well as public transportation. Furthermore, Black Americans were often relegated to low-paying, menial jobs and faced discrimination in hiring and promotion. Economic disparities were vast, contributing to cycles of poverty and limited mobility for Black families.
Segregation was maintained not only through legal means but also through a regime of terror and intimidation. Organizations like the Ku Klux Klan used violence and threats to enforce racial boundaries. Lynchings, beatings, and other forms of racial violence were tools of social control meant to instill fear and suppress any attempts at challenging the status quo. Intruder in the Dust reflects this reality in the threats of violence against Lucas Beauchamp when he is falsely accused of murdering a white man.
The 1950s also marked the beginning of organized resistance against segregation. Black Americans began to mobilize and demand their civil rights, laying the groundwork for the civil rights movement. A significant legal challenge to segregation came with the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which declared that separate educational facilities were inherently unequal. This decision was a critical blow to the legal foundation of segregation, although its implementation faced significant resistance from white Americans. Another pivotal moment was the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955-1956, sparked by Rosa Parks’s refusal to give up her seat to a white passenger. Led by figures including Martin Luther King Jr., the boycott demonstrated the power of nonviolent protest and collective action.
By the end of the 1950s, the foundations of segregation were beginning to crumble, but the struggle for civil rights was far from over. The civil rights movement gained momentum in the 1960s, leading to landmark legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These laws aimed to dismantle the legal framework of segregation and ensure equal rights for all citizens. However, the legacy of segregation left deep scars on American society. Economic disparities, educational inequalities, and racial tensions persisted long after the formal end of Jim Crow. The fight for racial equality continued into the late 20th century and remains an ongoing struggle today.
Related Titles
By William Faulkner
