Essay Topic

I had a somewhat difficult time deciding on what I want to write my essay on. I narrowed it down to post structuralism, structuralism, and psychoanalytic theory...and I knew I wanted to write about either Faulkner or Kerouac's work because they are two of my favorite authors. Finally, after a lot of panic and stress, I finally decided upon a mix of psychoanaysis and new historicism, and Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. Now that I have actually decided upon this topic, I am still in somewhat of a panic mode, for I fear I have taken on a heavy challenge.
I chose Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying because it is one of my favorite novels, and I feel as though there are a variety of areas where the character's repressions, fears, and desires relate heavily to the culture of the time period. There is also a lot of symbolism that does that as well.
For those who have not read the novel, I will tell you a little about it. It is about the Bundren family, in a small town in Mississippi, who set off on a journey to Jefferson, Mississippi to bury their dead mother, Addid Bundren. The story takes place in the 1930's, and much of the novel reflects what life is like for the Bundren family during this time period living in America. The novel consists of 40-something interior monologues; each chapter is a character's thought process, so the reader gets to know each character through their reflections and insights concerning reality and how they feel about their mother's death. Even the dead mother has her own chapter (which is probably my favorite). The novel is insane - this adventure to Jefferson to bury her corpse turns into an epic journey through which the Bundren family easily has become my favorite Faulkner family. For those who have read it, maybe you agree.
So I plan on using the interior monologues to uncover repressions and fears in the text, presented by the characters, and relate this in a new historicism way, by writing about how these things relate to the time period and location. I think this was a constant goal of Faulkner's in his novels, so I hope I am successfully able to achieve my goal. Sound good? I hope so.