All the great writers of the American South have an incredible sense of place. In their works, the South is more than just a setting, but is a character of its own. William Faulkner’s masterpieces are no exception: they are filled with the sights, smells and sounds of the South, and the distinctive frame of mind of its people. Faulkner’s richly imagined Yoknapatawpha County, a fictionalized version of his own Mississippi homeland, is inhabited by a cast of vivid and unforgettable characters that Faulkner drew from his own family’s centuries-long history in the American South.





Faulkner, a bona fide Southern gentleman who shunned the spotlight, was a unique character himself, often amusing those around him with his idiosyncratic ways. Here are a few fun facts to provide a new perspective on this astonishing literary genius:

Love literature? We offer courses about folks like Faulkner, Wilde, and Woolf on a regular basis. You can find them on the Humanities section of our website.