In ‘The Sound and The Fury’, anxieties over newly emerging r

The Sound and the Fury is a brilliantly crafted modernistic masterpiece written by William Faulkner in the 1930’s. It cleverly tells the story of the Compson family from Jackson, Mississippi in the early 1900’s. The novel is divided into four sections and collectively narrated in each section by different characters in the novel. The Compson family throughout the novel, struggle to relate to the newly developing race relations that are occurring throughout America. As a direct result of these difficult changes, the family over compensates by placing a greater importance on sexual and familial purity. Such is the case with Benjy, who narrates the first section of the novel.

Benjy is the severely mentally retarded son of the Compsons’. His disability causes the narrative to be confusing due to Benjy’s memory, which jumps back and forth in time. As the novel progresses, we discover that April 7th is Benjy’s 33rd birthday. Benjy is the third child in the Compson family and was named after Mrs. Compsons wealthy brother, Maury. Upon realising that their so

Jason’s behavior is not only limited to women or Negroes; his contempt also extends to his handicapped brother Benjy, who is a constant embarrassment to himself and his family. “ What the hell makes you want to keep him around here where people can see him.” Jason instructs Luster to keep him hidden, as his presence and bellowing embarrasses Jason.

From the very first sentence of the section, Quentin is obsessed with time; words associated with time like "watch," "clock," "chime," and "hour" occur on almost every page. When Quentin wakes he is "in time again, hearing the watch," and the rest of the day represents an attempt to escape time, to get "out of time" Quentin’s quest to escape time can be discovered through a conversation he has with his father. When Quentin claims that he committed incest with Caddy, his father refuses to believe him and says, “ You cannot bear to think that someday it will no longer hurt you like this . . . it is hard believing to think that a love or a sorrow is a bond purchased without design and which matures willynilly and is recalled without warning . . . no you will not do that until you come to believe that even she was not quite worth despair perhaps.” Quentin’s agitated response to his father is, “…I will never do that nobody knows what I know.”

Dilsey, who showed him the only affection he has ever known, raised Jason. Unfortunately for Dilsey, this is of no consequences when it comes to Jason’s treatment of her. His lack of respect is certainly tainted with racial overtones. When referring to Dilsey, he uses racial and demeaning speech “You damm old nigger!” and physically mistreats her, “ I grabbed her by the arm…I kicked the door shut in her face. ” Jason has nothing but contempt for Dilsey and Quentin, which may also stem from a lack of respect of women. Jason has no respect for outspoken women, who do not conform to societies perception of a women and her role in society. Matthew outlines Jason’s misogyny towards female members of the Compson family. “…his ferocious assaults on his niece and Dilsey, his heartless trickery of his mother, and his savage combat with Cady through the years.” Dilsey and his niece Quentin are two such women. Matthew’s also explains, “ Caddy’s simple physical appetite for sexual pleasures endangers the elaborate code of purity and property upon which the patriarchy depends.”

It can be argued that Quentin’s obsession with Caddy’s virginity represents a pre occupation with his family purity and honour. This is hardly likely though, as Quentin’s anguish over Caddy’s promiscuity is centered on himself, and is exceptionally intense which indicates a lack of concern with the possibility of disappointing or staining the Compson family honour. Quentin's response to her promiscuity, namely telling his father that they have committed incest, is not the act of a person concerned with family honour and purity. Rather it is the act of a boy so in love with his sister and so obsessed with maintaining the closeness of their relationship that he would rather be condemned by the town and suffer in hell than let her go. He is, in fact, obsessed with her purity and virginity, but not to maintain appearances in the town; he wants her forever to remain the unstained, saintly mother/sister he imagines her to be.

Some topics in this essay:
Massachusetts Quentin, Jackson Mississippi, Dilsey Quentin, Mother Father, Head Quentin’s, Dilsey Compsons’, Negro Church, Sound Fury, Jason Compson, Luster Benjy, compson family, race relations, newly emerging race, familial purity, newly emerging, emerging race, sexual familial purity, sexual familial, section novel, niece quentin, throughout america, emerging race relations, committed incest, direct result difficult, emerging race relation,