Honor by William Faulkner
In Honor by William Faulkner we have the theme of selflessness, dedication, guilt and failure. Taken from his Selected Short Stories collection the story is narrated in the first person by a man called Buck Monaghan, a former pilot in WWI and very early on in the story the reader realises that Faulkner may be exploring the theme of failure. Buck is leaving his job as a car salesman despite having only been in the position for just under three weeks. The reader also learns that Buck, since he gave up flying, has not managed to keep down a job for longer than three weeks. This information is important as Faulkner may also be highlighting, along with the idea of failure, the difficulties incurred by pilots after WWI had ended with many being unable to accept the transition from flying to what might have been considered ordinary, if not monotonous day jobs.
There are other instances in the story which further suggest the idea or theme of failure, though on this occasion Faulkner may be exploring the idea of moral failure. At the time the story was written pilots would have been considered to have been part of a brotherhood (something that Buck believes in). This idea of brotherhood is noticeable by the incident of Buck being saved by a fellow pilot during the war despite their obvious (and stated) dislike for each other. Through their position (or jobs as pilots) it would appear that there is a connection which is unbinding between pilots. It is possible that Faulkner by having Buck begin his affair with Mildred Rogers is suggesting that in some way Buck has broken the code of honour or brotherhood that existed between pilots and between Mildred’s husband Howard and Buck.
Faulkner also explores the theme of dedication in the story. Despite earning very little money (and high insurance premiums), Howard remains dedicated to flying. Even though Mildred knows that life would be easier on both her and Howard if he gave up flying and took a regular job, Howard continues to fly. It is also through his dedication to flying that Howard displays a sense of selflessness or an ability to think of others. When Buck let’s go of the rope and is on the edge of the wing, Howard risks his own life in order to help Buck. It is also noticeable that Howard, disregards his own feelings and acts selflessly when he agrees that Mildred can leave him and be with Buck. At no stage does the reader suspect that Howard is thinking of himself, if anything he wants the best for Mildred, even if that means she will leave him.
It is also through the introduction of White’s character that Faulkner appears to be delving into the theme of guilt. Though it is not directly stated it is possible that Buck feels guilty for allowing his personal feelings towards White (who curses Buck after cutting the cards) to interfere with his role as a pilot. Buck allowed White to take risks that he himself would not have taken which resulted in White dying (possible suicide). Such was the impact of White’s death on Buck that he ended up quitting his job as a test pilot. It is also possible that Faulkner is again, through White’s death, highlighting the theme of failure. By allowing his personal feelings take control, Faulkner may be suggesting that in some way Buck has also failed White and the code of brotherhood that exists between pilots. Symbolically White’s name may also be important. The colour white can be associated with surrender and it may be the case that Faulkner, through White’s name, is symbolically highlighting Buck’s giving up (or surrendering) of his job as a test pilot.
It is also noticeable that Buck associates Mildred with the role of a corrupter. It is possible that Buck believes that had he not conducted his affair with Mildred he would still be flying. It is through his moral failing (of conducting the affair) that Buck ends up giving up flying. There is a sense that Buck is aware that he has broken the code of honour that exists between pilots and by giving up flying he is in some way repaying his debt to Howard. It is also interesting that Buck tells the reader ‘a woman, even when you love her, is a woman to you just part of the time and the rest of the time she is just a person that don’t look at things the same way a man has learned to. Don’t have the same ideas about what is decent and what is not.’ This line may be significant as it is possible that Buck is again associating the female with the role of corrupter, that it is the nature of a woman to corrupt a man.
The final section of the story is also interesting as Buck further suggests the differences between men and women. Buck believes that none of the women that he has demonstrated cars to, actually have any intention of buying a car, rather they are looking for someone to chauffeur them around. It is possible that Buck is suggesting that inherently, women are dishonest. Though there is a sense of irony in this as Buck himself can also be charged with dishonesty when he conducted his affair with Mildred. However it is possible that Buck feels he has done the honourable thing by giving up the one thing that connected him with other pilots, he gave up flying.