Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment Advance Access originally published online on July 22, 2009
Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment 2009 16(3):517-524; doi:10.1093/isle/isp060
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The Destroyers in Go Down, Moses
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Ike McCaslin in Faulkner's Go Down, Moses has been the subject of copious commentary. Generally considered at one time to be the novel's hero, Ike currently strikes many readers as a seriously flawed figure, his withdrawal from the tainted legacy of the plantation exacerbating rather than alleviating racial and social injustices.1 Although Ike's activities in the domesticated arena of the plantation have been carefully scrutinized, his behaviors in the wilderness—and those of his fellow hunters—have been largely accepted at Ike's own high estimation of their value. More specifically, Ike's qualities as a hunter and as a mentor to other hunters warrant a much closer scrutiny than they have heretofore received. Although most of Ike's hunting companions hold him in high regard, their esteem reflects their own limited perceptions rather than Faulkner's endorsement of Ike's behaviors. While Ike is without question an excellent shot and a superior woodsman, his activities in