Light in August

Light in August William Faulkner In the novel by William Faulkner, “Light in August” there is alienation in the novel. The alienation occurs with Joe Christmas. He is a stranger that comes into the town of Jefferson with a unkonwn past. Prior to his arrival, he went under the name of Lucas Burch. Whne Joe Christmas arrives at Jefferson, he alienates himeself from almost everybody for about 2 years. His past has taught him to do …

…the characters in that he is the only one who insists on unifying the forces rather than accepting, indeed depending upon, their separation" on page 13. His attempts to unify the social and moral categories upon which the society of Jefferson is built earn him the violent rejection by that society, black and white which leaved him with no place to go. Thus Christmas is murdered by a society because his existence challenges its very foundations.