ACT
Practice Test 19

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HUMANITIES: William Faulkner: Great Southern Author

Born in Mississippi in 1897, William Faulkner is touted as the master of such revolutionary literary devices as stream of consciousness, multiple narrations, and time-shifts within a narrative. During a

Line 5 career that spanned more than three decades, Faulkner produced literary works filled with emotional turmoil and unflinching honesty. His unique interpretation of history is highlighted in the symbolism and imagery of his writing. It has also been argued that Faulkner’s

10 works are some of the best representations of Southern Gothic literature ever written. It is clear that Faulkner’s Deep South roots greatly influenced his writing. He was a prolific writer whose works both parallel and depart from popular myths of

15 southern culture. Faulkner’s remarkable understanding of race relations and his clever satire of Southern characters stemmed from his memories of growing up in rural Mississippi. He set many of his short stories and novels in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, based

20 on what Faulkner referred to as “my own little postage stamp of native soil,” Lafayette County, Mississippi. It was there, immersed in traditional southern lore, that William Faulkner began to write of the great political, social, and economic transformation taking place in the

25 Deep South, depicting traditional society in timeless human dramas. Faulkner came from an old and relatively prominent Southern family. He grew up surrounded by traditional folklore, family stories, accounts from the

30 Civil War, and lectures about being a Southern gentleman. In his works, Faulkner examined how traditional values and beliefs affected Southern society after the Civil War. Faulkner particularly abhorred the rampant racism and abuse that African Americans suffered in

35 the South. Although Faulkner’s novels do not shy away from describing the brutality and anguish that life can bring, his works are filled with profound compassion and humor. Faulkner refused to avoid painful or controversial issues and he was intrigued with understanding

40 human freedom. His work explores, condemns, and analyzes obstructions to human freedom and happiness by examining racism, shame, fear, false pride, and abstract ideals. Much of Faulkner’s exploration is done using brilliant symbolism and exquisite dialogue.

45 For example, his novel The Sound and the Fury, published in 1929, dealt with the painful demise of a distinguished southern family and demonstrated a rich variety of literary styles, relying most heavily on stream-of-consciousness writing, in which a character’s

50 thoughts are conveyed in a manner roughly akin to the way the human mind actually works. Faulkner’s mastery of unique literary styles was formally recognized when, much to his surprise, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1949.

55 Always his own harshest critic, William Faulkner considered many of his books failures because they did not live up to his high expectations. However, it is clear that Faulkner’s experimental literary techniques simultaneously perplexed and challenged his readers, who were

60 more often than not inspired by his insightful analysis of the human spirit. Faulkner continued to explore the interconnections between his characters and their counterparts in the real world until his death in 1962. In the months before his death, Faulkner updated

65 his will, leaving the bulk of his manuscripts to the Faulkner Foundation at the University of Virginia, where he had been appointed its first Writer-inResidence. While the original documents are protected, electronic versions of the collection are freely available

70 to scholars of great Southern literature and others interested in gaining additional insight into the life’s work of a truly revolutionary American author.

As it is used in line 22, the word immersed most nearly means:

  • Solution

    The best answer is B. The passage states that Faulkner began writing in Lafayette County, Mississippi, where he was “immersed” in southern lore. Because the sentence is describing Faulkner himself, not his writing, it makes the most sense that he was “submerged” in traditional southern lore. Within the context of the sentence, it does not make logical sense that Faulkner would be “depicted” or “interpreted” in southern lore, nor does it make sense that he was “related” in southern lore.

The author describes Faulkner’s writing as all of the following EXCEPT:

  • Solution

    The best answer is H. In paragraph one, the author states “Faulkner produced literary works filled with emotional turmoil and unflinching honesty. His unique interpretation of history is highlighted in the symbolism and imagery of his writing.” These two sentences describe symbolism, honesty, and turmoil. Nowhere in the passage is it written that Faulkner’s works were considered to be malicious.

One of the main ideas of the passage is that:

  • Solution

    The best answer is C. The passage repeatedly makes reference to Faulkner’s “clever satire of Southern characters,” and his willingness to face the “brutality and anguish that life can bring.” These statements show his strong convictions. Other portions of the passage talk of his prominence as an author, such as winning the Nobel Prize or mastering various literary techniques. These sentiments best support answer choice C. While answer choice A may seem correct as the passage talks of how his “Deep South roots greatly influenced his writing,” this does not necessarily mean that he stayed true to those roots.

As it is used in line 33, the word abhorred most nearly means:

  • Solution

    The best answer is G. The passage discusses how Faulkner abhorred “rampant racism and abuse,” and later that he “condemns ... obstructions to human freedom.” Together these statements carry the connotation of a strong dislike for injustice, which best supports answer choice G.

The author suggests which of the following about Faulkner’s attitude toward racism in the South?

  • Solution

    The best answer is B. The passage talks of how Faulkner “abhorred” racism, which indicates a strong dislike. It further speaks of how he “refused to avoid painful or controversial issues,” and it states that he “condemns, and analyzes obstructions to human freedom and happiness by examining racism.” Both of these statements support the idea that he hated racism and worked to expose it, along with other difficult and controversial topics concerning life in the South.

The main emphasis of the fourth paragraph (lines 52–63) is to:

  • Solution

    The best answer is H. The fourth paragraph begins by stating that Faulkner “was awarded the Nobel Prize.” Later in the paragraph it mentions that many of his readers, when encountering his “experimental literary styles,” “were more often than not inspired by his insightful analysis of the human spirit.” These statements reflect the author’s intent to emphasize the importance of Faulkner’s work and mastery of various styles. The other answer choices are not supported by the passage.

With which of the following statements about Faulkner’s literary style would the author most likely agree?

  • Solution

    The best answer is D. The first sentence of the passage calls Faulkner’s literary devices “revolutionary.” In the third paragraph the author speaks specifically of Faulkner’s literary style, saying they included “brilliant symbolism and exquisite dialogue.” At the end of that paragraph the author talks of how one technique Faulkner used, stream-of-consciousness, conveyed a character’s thoughts “in a manner roughly akin to the way the human mind actually works.” Along with references throughout the passage to the sharp social commentary within Faulkner’s work, these statements suggest that the author feels they were a new take on discussing social issues, best supporting answer choice D.

The passage states that The Sound and the Fury depicted:

  • Solution

    The best answer is F. Within the third paragraph, The Sound and the Fury is referred to as “the painful demise of a distinguished southern family.” This most closely matches the tragic downfall of a respected family in both tone and scope. The other answer choices do not contain anything attributed to that novel by the passage.

The author uses the term “counterparts” (line 63) most likely in order to:

  • Solution

    The best answer is C. The end of the third paragraph speaks of the connection between Faulkner’s “characters and their counterparts in the real world.” This statement implies a linkage between the characters within Faulkner’s work and real individuals who exist outside of it. Answer choice C is best supported by that information.

Which of the following best states the main purpose of the passage?

  • Solution

    The best answer is J. The passage repeatedly discusses the literary devices, some of which Faulkner invented, that are central to his craft. He clearly understands what he is doing. Additionally, he is described by the author as being “his own harshest critic”; Faulkner “considered many of his books failures because they did not live up to his high expectations.” This speaks directly to his commitment to the craft of writing

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