Faulkner's Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

In his Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech, William Faulkner clearly states what a writer should write about to make a good story; courage, honor, hope, pride, compassion, pity, and sacrifice.  A good story is drenched in the agony and sweat of the human spirit, which is exemplified in his short story, "That Evening Sun."

Nancy, a tall black woman working for the white aristocratic family of the Compson's, portrays the agony of the human spirit Faulkner so fervently advocates. Faulkner displays pity and  honor through her. The narrator tells the readers a story of how Nancy faces Mr. Stovall, a white man and a deacon in a Baptist church. He uses Nancy as a sexual object but never pays her so she shouts out, "When you gonna pay me, white man?" (Faulkner 168) Because of the racial differences during this time period in the south, it is unthinkable for a black person to be condemning a white person, so Nancy must have had a good amount of honor to actually accuse him. Even though she shows honor, she also portrays pity and sacrifice. She keeps repeating to herself, "I ain't nothing but a nigger." (Faulkner 168) She is the person of pity  in the short story and thus represents the agony of the human spirit.

The Compson's represent a more positive heart by displaying compassion, sacrifice, and hope. Because Nancy is scared to death, Mr. Compson decides to accompany Nancy back to her house by saying, "I'm going to walk down the lane with Nancy." (Faulkner 169) Immediately after saying that, Mrs. Compson asks, "You'll leave me alone, to take Nancy home? Is her safety more precious to you than mine?" (Faulkner 169) Mr. Compson, even though leaving his children and wife unattended, brings Nancy back home, sacrificing himself and his family for the needs of others. Mr. Compson also shows hope to Nancy. When Nancy says that Jesus, her husband, is out in the open and waiting to kill her, Mr. Compson says, "Well, he's gone now. There's nothing for you to be afraid of now." (Faulkner 169) Mr. Compson tries to comfort Nancy through the sweat of the human spirit.