First and foremost, it is important to point out that Benjy as the narrator for the first section is quite difficult for the reader to follow what is going on in the story. His narration is hard to follow due to it randomness and choppy style. His stream of consciousness is made up of images,sounds,and memories that he cannot interpret or express due to his disability. He has absolutely no concept of time,living in present tense. Ironically, he is able to illustrate the demise of the Compson family as a whole.
Quentin, Benjy's brother, is a far more complex character with an abstract narration. It seems as if he is holding on to the old traditional Southern code of honor and cannot cope with the changing times.He cannot cope with Caddy's promiscuity. The begging question: WHO CARES?! Why is Quentin so obsessed with the fact that his sister is a sexual person? Could it be that he is jealous that she's no longer a virgin, while he's still apart of the club?
Unlike Benjy, Quentin is aware that his flashbacks are just memories which can be interpreted. He is obsessed and trapped in time. Also, in his thoughts, he regrettably feels as if he should have done something or said something to change a certain situation. For example, he recalls a young girl during his childhood, and calls her dirty. Now, because he called that little girl dirty, he sees his own sister as "dirty." It can be said that Quentin himself has mental issues,maybe the entire Compson family. There is no stability in the family,at all. If anyone is normal, it is Caddy.
The Sound and the Fury takes a true active mind to understand what's really going on. You cannot possibly sit and read page after page without having to reread what you just read. It's difficult to follow,which is a turn off. Sorry,Faulkner!
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How does Benjy represent the demise? I think Benjy is one of the few admirable characters in that family. If anything, the demise is represented by Jason becoming head of the family and female Quentin taking the place of Caddy. Benjy is great!
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree - it is hard to believe that Quentin would go so crazy over his sister's sexual life. I guess its just a old Southern thing?
In Quentin's mind, the traditional southern roles are absolutely reversed and he, already being obsessive-compulsive over time and tradition, can't handle it. He is virginal, his sister is impure... even though in that society at the time men were the ones allowed to be somewhat impure and women were supposed to remain virgins until marriage. This role reversal has shaken his psyche and because he doesn't know how to interpret it, he goes nuts. It's seems symbolic of the ideal "old south" collapsing... and Quentin sees that.
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