This essay examines Popeye from William Faulkner’s Sanctuary and the psychology behind the criminal. Popeye is an outsider of mainstream society and by being such is placed in a position where he serves as a critic of that society. Popeye’s background suggests more clearly the psychology of criminal behavior using a primary source from The Manchester Guardian that discusses the psychology of deviant youths so that Popeye is understood in this essay not with the modern insight of psychology today, but with the comprehension of 1920’s popular psychology. As an adult, the fear that Popeye incites in the other characters reveals the impotency of the society due to Popeye’s ability to infiltrate and strike fear and doubt into the rungs of each class. Popeye’s disregard for the law and the law’s inability to recognize Popeye as a threat displays the corruption of this society, further perpetuating Popeye as both an outsider and a critic.
| Presenter: | Shannon Pfeifer (Undergraduate Student) |
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| Topic: | English |
| Location: | 218 Hartwell |
| Time: | 3 pm Session IV |
