Shirkers and Sophisticates: Contrasting Notions of Class, Caste, and Status in Absalom, Absalom!

The article focuses on contrasting notions of class, caste, and status in William Faulkner's "Absalom, Absalom!" by examining the character of Thomas Sutpen through an Appalachian lens. Topics include the overlooked significance of Sutpen's Appalachian heritage, its clash with Antebellum Southern values, and how his rise to power challenges the Southern caste system and foreshadows industrialization in the post-Civil War South.