The Literary Tradition of Loneliness

What becomes most apparent at the end of All the Living is the preoccupation of Morgan. The readers see the expression of Southern American female loneliness in a manner in which so many of her predecessors did not or could not accomplish. In the line of literary history, Morgan follows in the track of other Southern writers, predominately those who are male. Her own affinity towards Faulkner is documented. In an article published in The Daily Beast, C.E. Morgan calls Light in August, William Faulkner's great American novel. It is not only particularly interesting to hear about one Southern American writer talk about another, but also because Light in August is one of Faulkner's most acclaimed novels to include a lead female character. It is precisely these sorts of historical developments that inform Morgan's writing of Aloma. The existential acceptance or surrender that is exemplified by Orren's proposal draws parallels to Faulkner's work, "He smiled. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead and they stayed like that until Aloma could feel the heat of his body mingled with the heat of the day, though it was not yet touching them, sheltered in the shadow as they were" (186). At such an abrupt, awkward yet integral story beat, the language that surrounds Aloma is isolating in and of itself. Her name is the only proper noun here and while this may seem small, the way in which the focalization of the text shifts from Orren ("he smiled...he leaned...and kissed) to Aloma ("could feel the heat of his body...") is another indication of a split. There is Orren and then there is Aloma. Separated yet deeply embedded into the main plot line driven by Aloma. She is the character that shares the feeling of abruptness the most in this scene with the audience, creating a more intimate and empathizing connection. What Faulkner failed to do is to maintain the focus on a female character. Light in August forces Lena to share her story with two other male characters. Not only in the sense that they are large characters in the story but also that the focalization of particular chapters becomes strictly dependent on their point of views rather than Lena. The female character is not given the same sort of limelight to preform within her loneliness as other male characters are.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/ce-morgan-light-in-august-is-faulkners-great-american-novel