South Central Review

Abstract:

A key event in William Faulkner’s Light in August (1932) is the lynching of the biracial Joe Christmas by the white Percy Grimm, ostensibly as retribution for the alleged sexual assault and murder of the white Joanna Burden. In his dying moments, Joe Christmas directs a gaze at his executioner that profoundly disturbs and indelibly marks the consciousness of white onlookers. Readings of this gaze have varied, with some scholars viewing it as a manifestation of agony following a dehumanizing act, while others perceiving it as an expression that encapsulates a long history of suffering among marginalized communities. Despite the extensive scholarly discourse on the “lynching” scene, Joe’s retaliatory gaze has often been overlooked. Given its haunting resonance for both witnesses and readers, this paper refers to postcolonial theories to analyze Joe’s final gaze, arguing for its dual nature as both emasculating and fulfilling.