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9. Anse
Explanation and Analysis—Anse's Worldview:
In Chapter 9, Anse tells a frame story to justify his treatment of Addie and explain his philosophy of the world:
When He aims for something to be alwaysa-moving, moving, He makes it long ways, like a road or a horse or a wagon, but when He aims for something to stay put, He makes it up-and-down ways, like a tree or a man. And so He never aimed for folks to live on a road [...] if He’d a aimed for man to be always a-moving and going somewheres else, wouldn’t He a put him longways on his belly, like a snake? It stands to reason He would.
In this passage, Anse recounts a story he told to Addie about the nature of the world God created. It justifies his aversion to action and responsibility, as well as his disingenuous rationale for not caring properly for his wife or family.
Faulkner and other writers of the Southern Renaissance often tried to understand the mechanics of the post-Civil War South—especially why many remained in poor and unhappy. This frame story seems to suggest that some people tend to misconstrue tradition to justify the present conditions and to avoid considering real change.
Related Themes:
