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Jesus Escalante
Professor Malvin
English 114B
February 24, 2015
Dividing Light
Los Angeles, the city of angels as it is known, is an exceptional city. Every landscape,
every feature, remarkable by its own beauty, allow the city to emerge through its reputation for
light. From the beaches of Santa Monica, where light is an eminent factor portrayed in the beauty
that engulfs the golden brown sands and shallow blue waters. To the streets of Santee Alley,
where light is reflected more as an opportunity, a light that runs through crowded streets like
blood flows through veins of a needing body. In Golden Land By William Faulkner, Faulkner
depicts Los Angeles, through the eyes of Ira, as a city of opportunity despite his distaste for it.
He states, few could resist the urge to incorporate Hollywood into their own work (131).
Golden Land demonstrates Los Angeles as a place of light, where success along with fame and
wealth are achieved through giving up ones own morality. A light of opportunity, a chance for a
dream many depict to be a life without struggles, is exactly that, a vision of opportunity blurred
by its own identity; a barrier between distinct social classes. This barrier depicted through the
citys behavior, is demonstrated by its inhabitants, whose job solely creates a divided society
without traditional moral values rather than recreate that city many depict it to be.
Often, many people are in search of a city that can offer a greater opportunity than the
lifestyle they currently live in, and in most occasions will do anything to guarantee that success.
Los Angeles, with all it has to offer, can be seen as a city with a lot to promise. People following

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a dream in Los Angeles may do just about anything to ensure their success, and often that can
change a human, or a society. Whether its joining a gang or doing other malicious things, it is
clear to see what people will do just to follow a light of success they believe is right. Agreeing
with Faulkners statement on how Los Angeles society is divided, I also believe the society
engulfing the city is divided. Personally, the social divisions in Los Angeles disgust me. Having
a society where you can clearly see fake people, as Faulkner states, beautiful as gods and
goddesses, [yet] with the mind of infants (147), and there are also people who are in a good
position and other individuals who are not, struggling to succeed but still hoping to find the same
light many other people are in search of. The light most people often see as an opportunity, is
blurred by the clear fact that although Los Angeles is a beautiful city, the light is only an illusion
of what you truly wont find.
Some of the inhabitants in Los Angeles, as described by Faulkner, fake with bronzed,
unselfconscious bodies, are a clear example of society trading their moral values for personal
gain. As stated, Lying so, they seemed to walk along the rim of the world as though they and
their kind alone inhabited itand they turn into precursors of a new race not yet seen on the
earth: of men and women without age... (l41). Faulkner describes the people in L.A as he states
that the inhabitants of the city live day by day creating a new type of race with fake features
that would make them appear almost as if they do not age from such alterations.
Yet one thing is certain, Los Angeles has a lot to offer, but at what extent will people go
in urge to feel success? Often the struggle of having an opportunity leads people to do things in
the wrong ways. Morality comes to play, and that is a big reason in why many believe Los
Angeles is not safe. I personally believe the riches and fame should not come from morality, but
from hard work, just as many minorities work hard every day for. I have personally witnessed the

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dangers of Los Angeles and not the land of opportunity that many people believe it to be. Instead
of a city enriched with opportunities, you have a city where gang activity is seen every day. The
streets and walls marked to show who reigns what street is no sign of opportunity or light as
many follow what they believe. As Faulkner believes, all human behavior is unpredictable and,
considering man's frailty... and... the ramshackle universe he functions in, it's... all irrational."
Human behavior is unpredictable, especially in situations where one is in search of opportunity.
As said by Faulkner, Hollywood is a place where a man can get stabbed in the back while
climbing a ladder. Just about anyone will do anything to climb the ladder of success and instead
of a society being one as a whole, you often face other people who wont let you succeed just
because they envy you. Yet despite such people, many others continue to be attracted to L.A.
Despite all of its bad characteristics, Los Angeles attracts many people because of its high
celebrity figures. As I believe, where one sees another succeed, that becomes the place of
success.
Why do so many people believe in a light more known as an opportunity in Los Angeles?
Yes, Los Angeles is a beautiful city with a lot of things to offer. Millions of people work hard
every day for an opportunity, yet are blinded by a light that is only a divisor, dividing them from
the more fortunate. Faulkner is disgusted by the society engulfed with consumer culture and lack
of moral value and he portrays this attitude throughout his story. Although I agree with
Faulkners belief about Los Angeles, I understand why many people believe in a light of hope
and opportunity Los Angeles might provide. The light being reflected off Los Angeles is
opportunity, but one thing is certain not everyone will succeed. Indeed, Los Angeles will always
be seen as a place of opportunity, a place where many hope their lives will change. And perhaps
in some ways their lives might change, but regardless of the opportunities given, the success that

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many people are in search for is only an image that divides you from achieving your own
success.

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Work Cited

Faulkner, William. "Golden Land." Writing Los Angeles. N.p.: n.p., n.d. 131-51. Print.