DATE: 2 May 1958
OCCASION: Undergraduate Class in Contemporary American Literature, Undergraduate Class in Writing, Graduate Class in American Fiction
This clip was created by splicing the end of T-143a and the beginning of T-143b together.
Play the full recording:
William Faulkner: Yes, sir.
Unidentified participant: Did Quentin, before, actually have a conversation with his father about sleeping with his sister? Or was that part of his [...]?
William Faulkner: He never did. He said, "If I were brave I would—I—I might say this to my father, whether it was a lie or not." Or—or, "If I were—if I would say this to my father, maybe he could answer me back the magic word which would relieve me of this anguish and agony which I live with." No, they were imaginary. He just said "Suppose I say this to my father. Would it help me? Would it clarify? Would I see clearer what it is that I anguish over?"
Unidentified participant: The feeling between him and his sister is pretty strong, though, [isn't it]?
William Faulkner: Yes, yes. But in Caddy's opinion he was—was such a—a weakling that even if they had been no kin, she would never had chosen him for her sweetheart. She would have chosen one like the—the ex-soldier she did, but never anybody like Quentin.
[end of recording]
