Born in 1897, William Faulkner was one of the greatest American novelists known for his many works dealing with the conflict of the new south and old south clashing together in one society. (Encarta) Born in New Albany Mississippi where his family lived before the Civil War, Faulkner was a southerner by tradition, birth and choice. (Encarta) Although his education was irregular after the fifth grade, he showed signs of wanting to become a writer at a young age. (Encarta) For a period of time he attended highschool and later took some courses at the University of Mississippi but never earned a degree. (Encarta) To keep his great Grandfathers tradition, a colonel in the Confederate Army, he attempted to join the United States Army but was rejected because of his height.(Encarta) This did not deter him from adding a "u" to his last name and passing himself as English to join the Royal Canadian Air Force in Toronto even though the war ended soon after. (Encarta) After the war Faulkner took a series of different jobs including one as the postmaster for the University of Mississippi which he was fired from in 1924.(Encarta) His first work, a volume of poetry in titled "The Marbled Faun" was published that same year with the help of a friend. (Encarta) After befriending Sherwood Anderson, who encouraged Faulkner to fiction, he wrote his first novel titled "Soldiers Pay" which was published in 1926.(Encarta) With the positive reviews of his first novel, Faulkner found his life work in writing although it did not pay well and financial hardship forced him to work mediocre jobs.(Encarta) Continuing writing for many years after payed off for Faulkner winning such awards as the Nobel Prize in literature, Pulitzer Prize and the gold medal of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.(Encarta) Not only did he write novels but also screen plays and a collection of short stories. His style of writing can sometimes be difficult and demanding for the reader with his complicated plot structure.