Dry September

As the first half of the 20th century ushered in both the Modernist and Southern Renaissance literary movements throughout the United States, the need for new forms of expression inspired innovative new writing styles. From the story’s imaginary setting in William Faulkner’s Yoknapatawpha County to its shifting narrative style, symbolism, stream of consciousness, and fusion of time, the author explores Southern identity and history using these new modes of storytelling.

For example, while the narrative style of “Dry September” alternates between heavy passages of dialogue and elegant layers of prose, the text represents a departure from the more traditional, linear short story format. While such narrative ambiguity may disorient the reader, it demonstrates a desire to uproot the past and view it from a new perspective within the framework of Modernist ideals. In addition, the rapid-fire succession of dialogue from one character to the next infuses the story with a sense of immediacy that matches the growing agitation of the lynch mob.

Dense layers of

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