Conference #3 - Absalom; Absalom!

“Because the time now approached (it was 1860, even Mr Coldfield probably admitted that the war was unavoidable) when the destiny of Sutpen’s family which for twenty years now had been like a lake welling from quiet springs into a quiet valley and spreading, rising almost imperceptibly and in which the four members of it floated in sunny suspension, felt the first subterranean movement toward the outlet, the gorge which would be the land’s catastrophe too, and the four peaceful swimmers turning suddenly to face one another, not yet with alarm or distrust but just alert, feeling the dark set, none of them yet at that point where man looks about his companions in disaster and think When will I stop trying to save them and save only myself? and not even aware that that point was approaching.” (58)

William Faulkner’s Absolom; Absolom! follows the legend of Thomas Sutpen and his family's downfall from power, wealth, and respectability. The entirety of chapter three is told from the perspective of Mr. Compson, Quentin’s father from The Sound and The Fury, who seems to struggle with following and understanding the motives behind Sutpen's story. He does not always give the reader proven information but rather what he has inferred about the situation based on what he knows about the family’s later actions and what he is told by others. By page 58 in his narration, we have started to learn the story of Rosa Coldfield and her connection to Sutpen. Rosa is Sutpen’s sister-in-law and main storyteller, who is able to provide clearer information surrounding the story as well as her own insights into the motives of the Sutpen family. This quote, spoken by Mr. Compson, portrays the Sutpen family as blissfully unaware of their impending downfall brought about, in part, by the Civil War which broke out in 1861. This quote shows the family as successful, yet unaware that their success (which was gained through slavery and other unhonorable means) is soon to be threatened by tensions that are simmering under the surface, waiting to erupt. The helplessness of the family to change their future circumstances is shown by the use of the words “destiny” and “unavoidable.” The family is oblivious, yet also subconsciously unwilling to accept the reality that the security around them is tenuous. The quote’s final question, “When will I stop trying to save them and save only myself?” foreshadows the break in their family unity and ultimate demise of Sutpen’s power.

When the reader is originally introduced to Thomas Sutpen, he is described as “—a man who rode into town out of nowhere with a horse and two pistols and a herd of wild beasts that he hunted down singlehanded because he was stronger in fear than even they were in whatever heathen place he had fled from, and a French architect who looked like he had been hunted down and caught in turn by the negroes—” (10). From the beginning, he attempts to assert his dominance and impress the townspeople with his success. It is clear that Sutpen’s heavy reliance on slavery to maintian his plantation also serves to maintain his image of power and wealth among the townspeople. He is portrayed as overly concerned with image, as he is a man who “concealed himself behind respectability,” (10) yet he is ultimately hated by the townspeople, who believe that he has come about his wealth through unsavory means and reject him. His marriage was an attempt to regain respectability because Mr. Coldfield (his father in law) is one of the most respected men in town. Sutpen is shown to be calculating, and believing his destiny is to be a wealthy Southern gentleman, he is willing to employ any means to gain success. He depends on slaves to build his wealth, which, at this time in the South, is common among wealthy white families, or “dynasties.” The “time” that is referred to in this quote is the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, which had profound effects on the nation, particulary in the South, which was largely economically dependent on slavery. While this quote is discussing a time that is still a year before the war breaks out, it’s clear that the tensions and political instability are rapidly making war unavoidable and inevitable. As readers, we are aware of the outcome of the Civil War and can guess at how this will negatively impact the Sutpen family, yet the family is still blissfully unaware of any looming danger. 

While Sutpen’s family believes that they are a powerful Southern dynasty that is untouchable by conflict and poverty, the reality is that their destiny is to not only lose their wealth, power, and honor, but also lose their familial strength. Faulkner presents the Sutpen family as convinced of the inevitability of their future, which is determined by fate, not their own actions, thus absolving themselves of any personal responsibility. The four members of the family are Thomas Sutpen, his wife Ellen, and their two children, Henry and Judith. In correlation with the growth of tensions between political and regional sides in the Civil War, the Sutpen family’s financial growth and rise in power is compared to the rising opposition to slavery, which seem to be increasing in equal amounts, yet are not able to coexist. In this quote, Sutpen’s family is at a crossroads. They are currently satisfied with their lives, blanketed in financial security and respectability. However, this quote also makes it clear that the ground they stand upon is not as sturdy as they perceive. Sutpen’s family is painted as arrogant in their oblivion to the changing times; they are so assured in their dynastic superiority that they cannot conceive of any real threat. Suddenly, however, their perception of their own destiny and future is rocked; their son is now at war, the ways they have built their dynasty are condemned as “unhonorable,” and their belief in their own family and security is irreparably shaken. This sets the path for their family’s downfall, a tragedy that lies at the heart of the novel.