DefinePK

Abstract

According to René Girard, the concept of the scapegoat originated as a religious practice, a communal ritual whereby the sins of the community are projected onto a goat. The chosen goat would then be sent into the wilderness, as a sacrifice, to carry the burden of their offences. The goat was, later on, replaced by individuals who were burdened with the sins of the community. This study highlights the scapegoating of characters in two of William Faulkner’s iconic short stories, A Rose for Emily and Barn Burning, through the lens of Girard’s theory of scapegoating. In these stories, scapegoating conceals itself under the guise of social hierarchies and gender discrimination, whereby the weaker individuals undergo communal oppression. The repetitive pattern of projecting blame on the central character of each story demonstrates the underlying violence maintained by social norms. In A Rose For Emily, Emily is demonised and alienated by the community. Emily feels the imperative to withdraw herself from the hostile world that inadvertently participates in scapegoating her. The first-person plural narration reveals the community’s hostile attitude towards her in many instances. In Barn Burning, the ten-year-old Colonel Sartoris, aka Sarty, acts as an emotional scapegoat of his father’s rage against the system. Sarty’s ideals unfit him for his family and make him an outcast. This study also explores how Faulkner endows his characters with the power to resist oppression. Their acts of resistance show the rejection of their role as a scapegoat.