Pulitzer Prize Fiction Winner
A Fable
by William Faulkner
Summary
Set on the Western Front in the final year of World War I, the novel imagines a French corporal whose regiment refuses to attack, triggering a brief, miraculous cessation of fighting and a confrontation with the high command. Faulkner layers the story with deliberate parallels to the Passion, shifting among voices and timelines to fashion an elaborate parable about war, authority, and sacrifice. It is among his most ambitious and contested books, polarizing readers with its density and allegorical reach.
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Historical Context & Significance
Faulkner's most ambitious and difficult work; it won both the Pulitzer and the National Book Award, though many critics found its symbolism heavy-handed.