Sometimes I aint so sho who's got ere a right to say when a man is crazy and when he aint. Sometimes I think it aint none of us pure crazy and aint none of us pure sane until the balance of us talks him that-a-way. It's like it aint so much what a fellow does, but it's the way the majority of folks is looking at him when he does it.
In this passage from William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying," the speaker reflects on the nature of sanity and madness. They suggest that the distinction between the two is not clear-cut, as it often depends on the perspectives of those around us. What society deems crazy or sane may vary, and individual actions can be interpreted differently based on public opinion.
The speaker questions who truly has the authority to label someone's mental state, implying that perceptions of sanity are influenced heavily by societal norms. Ultimately, the individual's behavior may be less important than the way others choose to judge it, revealing the subjective nature of mental health and societal acceptance.
