First Faulkner?

[Wendea]

I'm a high school senior looking for a great classic to read for my advanced English class. I've never read Faulkner before, but he sounds pretty amazing. I was wondering: Would it be better to read The Sound and the Fury first, or As I Lay Dying? (Or another- I'm open to suggestions). I'm fairly ambitious when it comes to difficulty, but I also want something I can both enjoy and analyze.

Any thoughts? I would love to read both, but I have a feeling I won't be able to do that very well in the time frame given to me. (I can always read the other later, though).

 

[tundra]

I enjoyed As I Lay Dying. I couldn't finish Sound and the Fury though...the first third of the book is from the perspective of someone mentally challenged, and it was very difficult to follow. I have plans to return to it someday. But As I Lay Dying has a lot of room for an analysis.

 

[Phlebas]

I've read both and would agree with Tundra's comments. Both are fairly heavy going, but you may be put off by the first section of the Sound and the Fury as the "voice" is difficult to follow and you don't get a good sense of what's what and who's who until later on. The timeline is also erratice it jumps from memory to present to memory with no logical pattern. Once you get past this portion you will find yourself flicking back to it as you realise where the moments belong.

With "As I Lay Dying" you still have a piecemeal story which only very gradually reveals itself. Difference with TS & F is that in this one all of the characters are sane and the timeline is linear so that's a couple of less hurdles.

Glad you're up for a challenge in a read, Faulkners a fantstic author with plenty of challenges in both but you may risk putting yourself off him by diving straight into the Sound and the Fury.

Let us know what you choose and what you think.