Question

Which statement would William Faulkner most likely agree with, based on his

Nobel Prize acceptance speech?

A. Literature needs a more optimistic view of people.

B. Literature exists to bring the ugly truth out of nature.

C. The Cold War has shown how morality favors America.

D. A story about anything but suffering is clearly false.

SUBMIT

Answer 1

William Faulkner would agree with the statement that literature needs a more optimistic view of people, reflecting his belief in the importance of writing about the human heart's conflicts as a way to depict the resilience of the human spirit.

Step-by-step explanation:

Based on William Faulkner's Nobel Prize acceptance speech, he would most likely agree with the statement that literature needs a more optimistic view of people. Faulkner emphasized the importance of the problems of the human heart in conflict with itself, seeing this internal struggle as central to good writing. His works such as "Barn Burning" and "A Rose for Emily" illustrate this principle. Rather than focus on pessimism or optimistically avoiding human suffering, Faulkner believed in the endurance of the human spirit in literature.

In his speech, Faulkner stressed that a writer must write about universal truths and the conflicts of the human soul, suggesting a deep-rooted optimism about humanity's capacity for courage, honor, hope, and pride. Hence, option A aligns with his perspective. His works do not seek to simply relay the ugly truths about nature (B) or engage in the rhetoric of Cold War politics (C), nor do they assert that literature without suffering is false (D); rather, they delve into the nuanced and multifaceted experiences of the human condition.

Answer 2

A. Literature needs a more optimistic view of people.

Step-by-step explanation:

American novelist William Faulkner won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1949 for his novel "Absalom, Absalom!" And in his acceptance speech, he addressed why it is so much of an issue in writing what is positive and how we, as humans, are all so engrossed and taken over by our fear of life's events that no one seems to understand and try to write of more positive things.

He stated that "Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it." And it is this constant fear that makes it impossible or difficult for any writer to write about things that are of hope or positive thoughts. He emphasized the need to overcome or move beyond this constant thought of fear, and instead write of hope, and not let fear dictate what they write or want to say.

Thus, the correct answer is option A.