Ellison’s Invisible Man and Faulkner’s Light in August: An Argument in Black and White

Abstract

In a letter to Albert Murray dated April 9, 1953, Ralph Ellison described meeting William Faulkner at Random House on the morning of the National Book Awards ceremony for Invisible Man (1952): Saxe [Commins, Faulkner’s editor] says, “Bill, I want you to meet Ralph Ellison. He’s one of our writers who’s won the National Book Award.” “Glad to meet you, Mr. Ellison,” Faulkner says. “Well, Mr. Faulkner, this really completes the day for me,” I said. “Yes,” he said, “I guess this really is a day for you.” “Ralph’s book is Invisible Man,” Saxe said. “Yes, I know,” Faulkner said. “Albert sent me a copy almost a year ago.” “You know,” I said, “you have children all around now. You won’t be proud of all of them, just the same they’re around.” “Yes,” Faulkner said, “I was surprised to learn how many people like the stuff.”1 On...