To me this functions to explain your opening thought, and perhaps even support and explain what Faulknerian is. It also helps to bring an aspect of the book into the review without bombarding your reader with a boring quotation. It’s also a stylistic method, as you said in class today to have variable lengths in the paragraphs. Having the quote there all alone stands out off the page and appeals to my eye too.

The quotation justifies the opening question made by the reviewer and the endeavors of a “Faulknerian biographer,” presenting the importance and magnitude of Faulkner’s work. Moreover, the block quote entices readers. What will the reviewer have to say about a biography attempting to capture such an individualistic author?

The quotation forces readers’ to visualize not only Faulkner’s unique style, but also the immense impact his writing had. Rather than simply providing a brief description of the “Faulknerian biographer,” the reviewer focuses more on building interest in the topic at hand, in this case William Faulkner.

The quotation in the review opens another dimension to the reader. The quote is a highlight of the subject, showing the reader highly important and meaningful aspects of the topic. It helps the reader to understand more about what it means to be Faulkernian by giving a fruitful quote, instead of trying to explain it with paraphrasing.

The quotation creates context for the reader. A brief description of what Faulkner did and his accomplishments are given, as well as how he fits in relation to other prolific authors.

Visually, at first, the quotation threw me off since I didn’t expect to see one at the very beginning. However after reading it, it is very fitting in that it directly gives us a taste of Inge’s style. Instead describing what a Faulknerian is, the reviewer just shows us through the quotation and it works.

I read the quote and i thought right away how bold it is, exactly the way Faulkner himself.
And in the following sentence the reviewer mentions, that one has to be bold to take on a task of writing Faulkner’s biography.
A sequence of bold Faulkner, bold quote and bold biographer.
There is no better way to start talking about someone who challenged the traditional writing style.

The quotation is used to display the ideal Faulknerian biographer. Furthermore, it invokes a sense of curiosity in readers unfamiliar with Faulkner’s work.

M. Thomas Inge’s quote doesn’t so much answer the question of what it means to be a “Faulknerian biographer”, but rather, it reinforces to the reader that William Faulker has made on English literature. Inge also mentions how Faulkner was ahead of his time compare to later authors like James Joyce and Virginia Woolf.

The function of the quote is to do more than simply tell the readers that Faulkner was revolutionary. It’s meant to highlight his talents, his novelty, and the effects. It’s far more suitable to describe it in a way that truly shows how his work impacted literature and gives credit where it’s due.

The paragraph emphasizes and further expounds on the quotation. It immediately informs the reader of the specific characteristic it takes to be a Faulknerian biographer with the word “bold.” The paragraph also brings awareness to the fact that social, cultural, and psychological context are of little to no use in depicting Faulkner. It explicitly highlights the very thoughts that the quotation briefly touches on.

I think, just as the quote above, the text implies that his work should simply speak for itself. Aside from the in-depth analysis that will undoubtedly ensue, it’s necessary to see it for what it is and appreciate that value.

The reviewer is establishing the author’s expertise in the subject matter he is writing about and the level at which he understood Faulkner’s character. This gives credibility to the author.

There is a history and a bond between Inge and Faulkner. The reviewer uses their relationship to show the readers that Inge knows Faulkner well enough that we can value his opinion of him.

It is a very important detail that Mr. Inge is a Southerner just like Faulkner. It was a very different culture in the south, and many writers from the South were writing about social issues present in the area.
The biographer could better relate to Faulkner and his point of view, coming from the South.
Faulkner’s nanny, who was African-American made a huge impact on him while he was growing up through her story-telling and singing. He absorbed the southern surrounding and it affected his way of writing.

The reviewer is showing his fondness and appreciation of Faulkner, as well as involving readers by projecting his feelings onto them. He believes that Faulkner is as brilliant as he believes he is, and that he’s best understood directly than through description. I believe this shows a rather wise understanding of his work.

The reviewer is tying to explain that since Faulkner’s true style was unlike that of the other authors mentioned, his attempts to imitate his heroes were hopeless. This strengthens the argument that Faulkner’s prose was not only different from his predecessors, but was so divergent that it became and entity on its own.

He failed trying to imitate, as he was unable to do so. Faulkner had a very unique style, he just simply couldn’t fit in the traditional frames. Derivative was not his way of writing, and he succeeded only when he derived from within his own imagination.

The point is that Faulkner’s work was at its best when it came from his mind alone. His unique style and brilliance are all results of his staying true to himself rather than trying to be somebody else. As someone once said, “You can only be the best version of yourself. Everyone else is taken.” And I think he’s trying to say that Faulkner did just that.

Faulkner needed to fail in order to realize and accept his own greatness. This setback helped him to grow into a profound writer and I’m sure it has led to others trying to do just as he did – emulate.

The reviewer makes mention of the photographs. Though individual photos aren’t discussed, it is important that readers know this is an additional facet to the biography.

He ‘solves’ the problem by succinctly summarizing the collection of photos with an adjective and descriptive sentence.

It is a very smart way to summarize the biography by letting the readers know that it is compressed, yet the author dedicated his lifetime to explore the subject, which turned into this precious book. This final paragraph answers briefly but to the point the opening question what does it mean to be a ‘Faulknerian biographer’.

The final paragraph gave the author of the review that final stamp of authority a reader may need. He lets us know that the biography was thoughtful, insightful and trustworthy. His use of the word devotion let me know that the biography was written with passion and that the subject was worthy of every bit of it.

The final paragraph very concisely wraps up the review by stating that the author had done a fine job of explaining Faulkner in shorter terms, but only because he spent such a large portion of time on a topic that obviously required in-depth knowledge and understanding. Not only does it compliment the author, but it also compliments the complexity and range of Faulkner’s work.