William Faulkner’s 1950 Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech: Central Idea, Purpose and Structure

What’s It All About? Assessment: William Faulkner’s 1950 Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

• Central Idea: In one sentence, state the central idea of your speech.
• Central Idea Development: In 2–3 sentences, explain how the author developed this central idea in the beginning, middle and end.
• Author’s Purpose: Was the purpose to explain, express, inform or persuade? In one sentence, explain how you determined it.
• Text Structure: Identify the structure (cause and effect, compare and contrast, chronological, description, problem/solution or sequence). In 2–3 sentences, explain how you determined it.
• Text Feature: What text feature could be added to a printed version to enhance understanding? In one sentence, explain how it would enhance the audience’s experience.

Original example for study purposes. Answers follow the required sentence counts.

Central Idea

William Faulkner argues that, despite the fear of nuclear destruction, writers must write about the human heart and timeless values because humanity will not merely endure but prevail.

Central Idea Development

At the beginning, Faulkner accepts the prize on behalf of his work and dedicates it to young writers struggling with the same challenges he faced. In the middle, he describes the problem of a generation paralyzed by the fear of being “blown up” and urges writers to return to “the old verities and truths of the heart,” such as love, honor, pity, pride, compassion and sacrifice. At the end, he declares his belief that “man will not merely endure: he will prevail,” and says the writer’s duty is to help humanity endure by lifting its heart.

Author’s Purpose

Persuade. I determined that his purpose was to persuade because he directly addresses young writers and urges them to change what and how they write, using a hopeful message to convince them that their work matters.

Text Structure

Problem/solution. Faulkner presents a problem, that fear of nuclear annihilation has caused writers to forget the human spirit and write without meaning. He then offers a solution: writers should focus on the human heart and universal values, which will help humanity endure and prevail. The speech moves clearly from the problem to the solution.

Text Feature

A footnote or sidebar explaining the early Cold War and the fear of atomic bombs in 1950. Historical context would help modern readers understand why Faulkner believed fear was such a powerful problem for his generation.