Faulkner’s Relationship with his Daughter as Displayed in the Film, William Faulkner: a Life on Pap :: Movie Film Essays

Faulkners Relationship with his Daughter as Displayed in the Film, William Faulkner a Life on Paper In William Faulkner, a Life on Paper, Faulkner seemed to be more a father to the literary works he produced than he was to his true girlfriend (or to the niece/ward who appe ared in the film). His daughter Jill Faulkner Summers spoke of him in much the same manner as did the other people interviewed in the film. From the residents of Oxford, Mississippi to Lauren Bacall, everyone seemed to have around interesting or entertaining anecdote to relate about(predicate) Faulkner and his eccentric ways. His daughter and niece were no different. His niece relates a tale about Faulkner making up a family ghost his daughter laughs about his drinking and recites the poem that signaled that a binge was coming. She quotes him as telling her No one remembers Shakespeares child when she criticizes his drinking, signaling a less than ideal relationship. All in all, although she perhaps provides mor e details about her fathers liveliness, she really has no more to say about him than any other Oxford resident. Faulkners children, or daughters, were his literary masterpieces (and those non-so-masterpieces). People, even his family, did not seem to understand him, and he did not seem to care. He once said, I can invent much more interesting people than God can. Apparently, he believed this. Even though he always had several dependents, his emotional nurturing went into his theme not into his literal family. Jill states that he never willingly hurt or offended anyone but that he did not care about people and was not interested in ordinary people. His attention was devoted to his writing and the extraordinary people he invented in his fiction rather than the daughter he invented in his real life. The film seems to set this up as well. As much (possibly more) time is spent discussing the literature he produced as is spent discussing his family. Passages from his works are quoted at length, tying the imaginary to Faulkners reality. Even when simply discussing the plot of a work, a direct connection between the work and Faulkners life is implied. For instance, when the film focuses on As I Lay Dying, the narrator states that Addies wish to be buried with her people is a literal rejection of her husband and children. This this instant follows the narration about Estelles attempted suicide, linking this imaginary family with Faulkners real family.