Between Chaos and Cosmos

Abstract

Ernesto Grassts rhetorical theory proves helpful in illuminating William Faulkner's conception of humanity's dependence upon language. For both Grassi and Faulkner, language—the fundamental human art—serves metonymically, pointing toward humanity's need for other forms of artifice. Through the use of artificial means, the species is able not merely to survive, but to flourish, to prevail Characters in Faulkner's novels, such as Quentin Compson and Darl Bundren, who seek to transcend human verbalityI conventionality manifest forms of psychic disintegration. Like Faulkner, Grassi considers the attempt to escape artiflce as an act of insanity. Contrariwise, Grassi uses the term folly to refer to the willing recognition of the need to accept theforms of human artifice that allow the species to thrive.