Sound and Fury

From the very beginning of his chapter, Jason Compson makes his malicious and corrupt nature known when he says "Once a bitch, always a bitch, what I say". This essentially sets the stage for all of the misogyny intertwined in his southern ideals, especially when it comes to his sister Caddy. He makes a habit to blame her for every misfortune that comes his way and he, along with the rest of southern society, has a tainted view of her due to her promiscuity.   The "new system" of the Compson family is basically Jason becoming the patriarch of the family now that Father and Quentin have both died, leaving him as the male head of the household. Jason does not handle the role appropriately by any means, but rather exploits it tirelessly by abusing (primarily emotionally) the rest of the family and conniving for his own personal gain without regard for the common good for the family.   The narrative structure is the framework for how a story is told whereas cha...

Despite my disdain for any romanticization of mental illness, I found there to be a certain poetic element to Quentin's narration. Even at times, and maybe especially at times, when his thoughts were muddled and panicked and he failed to adhere any rules of proper grammar. Although his chapter was just as confusing as Benjy's, if not more so, I found myself compelled to read further because Quentin unfailingly included a level of intrigue for the reader to cling to as he divulged all the secrets of his instability and neuroses.   His obsession with Caddy is on a whole different planet than Benjy's. Benjy's obsession can be likened to a much purer relationship. He has a deeply pure and good love for Caddy as she is one of the only people in his life to treat him with true love and compassion. Quentin, on the other hand, has much more authentic "obsession" with Caddy wherein it ventures deep into the grey, unhealthy area. It is undeniable that he loves her...

What roles does Benjy play in the Compson family? What does his unique perspective show us about the Compsons? I think Benjy plays a very pure role in the Compson family. Although he is frequently and predominantly perceived as burdensome, he has an undeniable innocence that all the other Compsons lack. He is a very unorthodox version of a reliable narrator in that he is highly observant. Being mentally slow, he tells what things plain as he seems them free of judgment, bias, or assumption. He likes certain people more than others, his sister Caddy in particular, but he does not tell what he sees and experiences based on his liking for the people or the situation. He simply says what is. What might Benjy's need for consistency and his extremely strong nostalgia for the past say about the concept of family? About the South as a place? Benjy has in his own way a strong sense of family. He relies on them solely for his own well-being. The only people Benjy really has a strong ...