In William Faulkner’s southern gothic novel, Light in August, deception plays a major role in the lives of each of the main characters. Characters such as Joe Christmas and Gail Hightower are scarred by the deceptions of others, preventing them from ever finding their place in society. However, one character is not a victim of deception, but rather wields it for his own use: Joe Brown, also known as Lucas Burch. His actions serve as a major driving force behind the plot of the novel, as his lies bring the characters together and irrevocably change their lives.
Amusingly, the only time Brown’s perspective is given is at the end of the novel, in which he realizes Lena had followed him, prompting him to panic and flee without claiming his reward. …show more content…
Burden’s murder, only the events leading up to, and following, it. Therefore, it is unknown whether or not Joe Christmas actually committed the crime. When Brown attempts to turn in Christmas, his only “evidence” is that Christmas was black, which in modern times is barely, if ever, considered evidence. The public’s response to this new information, however, shows race relations during the time period, when a black man was immediately more guilty than a white man because of his race. The manhunt for Christmas and his lynching offer an observation and commentary on race during the time, depicting the white townspeople’s disdain for blacks and their even greater disdain for Christmas, a black man who looks white. As for Brown, whether or not he was being truthful when he claimed Christmas to be the murderer is unknown, but he did manage to divert the town’s suspicion towards him and come tantalizingly close to claiming a thousand dollars. He is a known liar, as he fled to Jefferson to escape the pregnant Lena after falsely promising to return for her after settling down. Knowing this, the murderer’s identity becomes even more ambiguous. Did Christmas kill Ms. Burden in a fit of rage, or did Brown kill her, then take advantage of Christmas’ heritage to frame his partner and possibly claim the bounty? The town never finds out, so neither does the reader. Thus, like the town, the reader must be left satisfied knowing that as far as the law is concerned, the case was
Amusingly, the only time Brown’s perspective is given is at the end of the novel, in which he realizes Lena had followed him, prompting him to panic and flee without claiming his reward. …show more content…
Burden’s murder, only the events leading up to, and following, it. Therefore, it is unknown whether or not Joe Christmas actually committed the crime. When Brown attempts to turn in Christmas, his only “evidence” is that Christmas was black, which in modern times is barely, if ever, considered evidence. The public’s response to this new information, however, shows race relations during the time period, when a black man was immediately more guilty than a white man because of his race. The manhunt for Christmas and his lynching offer an observation and commentary on race during the time, depicting the white townspeople’s disdain for blacks and their even greater disdain for Christmas, a black man who looks white. As for Brown, whether or not he was being truthful when he claimed Christmas to be the murderer is unknown, but he did manage to divert the town’s suspicion towards him and come tantalizingly close to claiming a thousand dollars. He is a known liar, as he fled to Jefferson to escape the pregnant Lena after falsely promising to return for her after settling down. Knowing this, the murderer’s identity becomes even more ambiguous. Did Christmas kill Ms. Burden in a fit of rage, or did Brown kill her, then take advantage of Christmas’ heritage to frame his partner and possibly claim the bounty? The town never finds out, so neither does the reader. Thus, like the town, the reader must be left satisfied knowing that as far as the law is concerned, the case was