Digitized Honors Theses (2002-2017)

Date of Award

5-2005

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Degree Name

BA

Department

English

Faculty Mentor

Annmarie Guzy

Abstract

William Faulkner's novel Absalom. Absalom! and F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby are two important components of the canon of Western literature. Because the novels both tell a story of the rise and fall of self-made men, there is an obvious connection between them. This project will discuss the similarities shared between the novels including narrative styles, social issues, and the morality of the characters. It will also examine how each author depicts the self-made man and how this depiction reflects the authors' views on America and the American dream. Evidence to support the discussion is generated using the novels as primary sources and literary reviews, analysis, and criticism of the works as secondary sources to draw conclusions about the two authors' styles and themes.

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