23 English eng Sayre, Robert Woods Contributor <p data-start="729" data-end="1029">The article analyzes how <span class="hover:entity-accent entity-underline inline cursor-pointer align-baseline" style="">William Faulkner</span> repeatedly reuses, revises, and transforms his own earlier writings—particularly the “Memphis” stories—across different works. It introduces the idea of <span data-start="945" data-end="970" style="">“artistic self-theft”</span>, not as plagiarism, but as a deliberate creative strategy. The study shows that Faulkner returns obsessively to certain characters, settings, and narrative situations, reshaping them in new contexts. This process reveals both continuity and transformation: earlier materials are not simply copied, but reworked to explore deeper psychological, thematic, and formal concerns. The article argues that this self-recycling reflects Faulkner’s artistic obsession and his evolving vision of the fictional world (especially Yoknapatawpha County). It also demonstrates how revision becomes a mode of creativity, where repetition leads to innovation rather than redundancy. Ultimately, the essay redefines originality by suggesting that literary creativity can emerge through <span data-start="1741" data-end="1786" style="">repetition, variation, and transformation</span>, rather than entirely new invention.</p> The Johns Hopkins University Press Fall 1997/Spring 1998 pdf ISSN 0884-2949 Literary Studies Artistic Self-Theft as Obsession and Creative Transformation: The "Memphis" Stories and Beyond mixed material The Johns Hopkins University Press