NCHS AP English Language

Ch 5 interpretation (C. Fitzer, J Huff, D Lewis, A Phan, C Samson)

In the scene, in which Christmas digs up the whiskey from the ground Faulkner specifically uses the word "exhuming" to describe how he digs it up. The definition of exhume is to remove from the grave, to bring to light. This foreshadows an upcoming death, because since Christmas removed the whiskey an empty grave remains, awaiting a new body to replace it. (This open grave is in preparation for Burden's body). Faulkner besides using eloquent vocabulary, he uses a psuedo-form of synesthesia when describing the sounds and smells of the black women walking around him in the night. "It was as though he and all other manshaped life about him had been returned to the lightless hot wet primogenitive Female." These instances of being surrounded by women further enrages Chritmas's drunken hatred towards women aftter an unknown reason. This hatred causes him to fell the emotion expressed in the previous quote. Being around all these women has made him feel as though he is constricted in the mother's womb. Later on it is stated "The wind blew dark and cool; the dust even through his shoes was cool." This line compliments Christmas's mysterious nature, how he is dark and almost seems to be part of the night. He stands their with his razor, blending into the night air and unbeknownst to the passing black women. Finally at the end of the chapter there is no ending period. it states "Something is going to happen. Something is going to happen to me" This symbolizes that this topic, this story line is not yet finishes. It has yet to be completed but at this time there is a switch in time, and it will have to be brought up later.

posted by NCHS AP English Language III @ 9:36 AM