I found this last section to be the most appropriate. There is much needed closure with a saga that you think would never end. Faulkner finally takes over, once there is nothing left to see of the Compson's. I also thought it was the most accessible and interesting. Faulkner is no longer speaking for the characters. Rather, he assumes the role of a sort of omniscient narrator, implying that there is nothing left to be said of the Compson family, but subtly hinting at the end that there is order. However, for said order, certain Compson's can no longer be there because they would only sabotage any chances of prosperity. Don't get me wrong. This is not Faulkner's section, it is Dilsey's. Through Dilsey, though, Faulkner communicates with the reader objectively.
I really enjoyed that each section had clear contrast with the other ones. Stylistically, Jason's, Dilsey's, and Quentin's sections are prose. Benjy's, on the other hand, is a mess, but it perfectly executes Benjy's thought processes and existence by writing in this handicapped narration, if you will. Faulkner proves his versatility as a writer, adapting to each of his lead characters with varying narratives. It makes me wonder how effective it would be if Faulkner published each section as a series of short stories that would make up one major saga. Published in episodes, it may resemble a really good soap opera, but I bet readers would be eager to read them.
To start with Benjy, though, is very daunting, as mentioned in my last post on Sound and the Fury. Although Quentin's section is arguably the most complicated in substance, reading Benjy's goes against all your knowledge of the English language, and at first it was downright repulsive and frustrating. Anyone with a trained tongue would find it difficult, while illiterates ( i think )would succeed because of the heavy reliance on phonetics.
Lastly, to close with a third person narration by Faulkner is refreshing, because Sound and the Fury is very unrelenting, even though it is divided in sections. As gripping as it may be, I don't think this is a single setting novel, but I felt that I would never rest until the Compson family finally deteriorated. After moments of thinking they were finally done for, the Compson's still manage to show signs of life amidst all the misgivings. This may be a faulty reading on my part because I still blindly rooted for a dysfunctional family bound for disaster. Once Miss Quentin vanishes (to me, the final blow), and to some extent, Jason's hysterical, comical, but pathetic chase, this clan can no longer function. Everybody is inept and afflicted by Caddy's departure, which is the worst thing to do to those obsessed with her. Benjy can't take care of himself, Jason is stuck after he loses his job, and Quentin can't live knowing of Caddy's way. One way or the other, they are all tied to Caddy and yoknapatawpha, plus, everybody is so emotionally distraught that there is little to no hope.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Absent love for the Compsons
William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury is both complex and simple. The text is hard to read; from the beginning, and without warning, there is constant switching from past to present confusing the reader. In addition this constant switching, at first glance it leads the reader to think that there is no real plot and meaning to the story. However, there is meaning and it comes in the embodiment of Candace Compson.
Faulkner is one of the South’s most influential writers because he redefines southern literature in two ways—first, in keeping with the southern tradition, he employs realism in his work. Second, he questions the southerner’s mind set for motivation by giving his audience, who may be southerners, a rare opportunity to reflect on who they are and how they came to be. Todd’s posting about, “The truly interesting question is how do we as readers look at the idea of audience in this novel” gave way to most of my reaction to the text. The Sound and the Fury answered many questions I had when I first read Absalom, Absalom! The two novels reinforce each other. This maybe an answer to Todd’s question: the intended audience of this book, I believe, was geared initially toward southerner’s. I think Faulkner’s purpose for writing this book was to force southerner’s to take a look into their backyard. Candace Compson is the motivation for all the Compson’s brothers. Benjamin, Quentin, and Jason are obsessed with Caddy because she gives them what their mother neglected to—love. Caddy is a substitute mother figure for the boys, and maybe for herself, which is why she ends the way she does. Candace did not have a positive female role model to teach her the ways of the world, particularly when it came men. Now, one can argue that Dilsey may have been that positive role model for Candace, but let’s not forget that Dilsey is black. Therefore, under southern standards socially deemed inferior. So Candace may have not look at Dilsey pre se as a positive female role model to learn from, and Dilsey may have thought it not to be her place to tell Caddy what she should and should not do.
Nevertheless, Candace mistake love for other things such as sex. It is the same for the Compson brothers; they mistake their love for Caddy as something more than what it should be. Love is one of the forces that hold families together. The Compson family does not have it therefore its falling apart. Faulkner’s uses his characters as representation for what the old south had and what it longs for. Starting with Quentin, he wants to continue on the family’s past greatness, but he has not nurtured from birth to do so.
Faulkner is one of the South’s most influential writers because he redefines southern literature in two ways—first, in keeping with the southern tradition, he employs realism in his work. Second, he questions the southerner’s mind set for motivation by giving his audience, who may be southerners, a rare opportunity to reflect on who they are and how they came to be. Todd’s posting about, “The truly interesting question is how do we as readers look at the idea of audience in this novel” gave way to most of my reaction to the text. The Sound and the Fury answered many questions I had when I first read Absalom, Absalom! The two novels reinforce each other. This maybe an answer to Todd’s question: the intended audience of this book, I believe, was geared initially toward southerner’s. I think Faulkner’s purpose for writing this book was to force southerner’s to take a look into their backyard. Candace Compson is the motivation for all the Compson’s brothers. Benjamin, Quentin, and Jason are obsessed with Caddy because she gives them what their mother neglected to—love. Caddy is a substitute mother figure for the boys, and maybe for herself, which is why she ends the way she does. Candace did not have a positive female role model to teach her the ways of the world, particularly when it came men. Now, one can argue that Dilsey may have been that positive role model for Candace, but let’s not forget that Dilsey is black. Therefore, under southern standards socially deemed inferior. So Candace may have not look at Dilsey pre se as a positive female role model to learn from, and Dilsey may have thought it not to be her place to tell Caddy what she should and should not do.
Nevertheless, Candace mistake love for other things such as sex. It is the same for the Compson brothers; they mistake their love for Caddy as something more than what it should be. Love is one of the forces that hold families together. The Compson family does not have it therefore its falling apart. Faulkner’s uses his characters as representation for what the old south had and what it longs for. Starting with Quentin, he wants to continue on the family’s past greatness, but he has not nurtured from birth to do so.
To the last Bascomb.
While it may be easy to hate Jason, I find him actually the most tragic.
The truly interesting question is how do we as readers look at the idea of audience in this novel. Who is reading this? Are we simply privy to an inner monologue? While that may be a suitable read of the first two section, it doesn't work as well with the last two. Jason's section and the last section are less chaotic, less experimental and more importantly more prose-esque.
So who is Jason talking to? The fact that the section begins and ends with "Once a bitch..." utterance means that it's a story. A simple portrayal of a day in the life of Jason Compson is presented.
The strange thing about Jason is how many times he says that he doesn't care about things. He attempts to write off Caddy, Quentin, Benjy, his Mother, his father, Dilsey, the people putting on a show but the important thing is that these are the elements that make up the story he chooses to tell. Yes, he's hard to relate to because he spends most of time complaining about everything, but his complaints give you better insight into what he really cares about.
He says on numerous occasions that he doesn't care about Quentin's going-ons. But we see him chase her down, for no other reason than he does care. Yes he is sure that she is out with the boy "not standing up" but because Jason is following them around, Quentin has no time to actually be with the boy. He is expending energy to stop her.
He tells Quentin that he doesn't want her fooling around on his "mother's" ground. Jason does not want Quentin caught on the family land because the Mother won't be able to ignore it if it happens there. Mother Compson does not leave the house, so Jason makes sure that she doesn't have to suffer heartbreak (any more than the stuff she causes herself).
Yes all the time Jason is doing awful things to all the people in the book. He teases Luster with the tickets to the show. He keeps Caddy from see her daughter. He's generally a racist. He's the last male of a family that is going to dust around him. How should he act?
So who is Jason talking to? The fact that the section begins and ends with "Once a bitch..." utterance means that it's a story. A simple portrayal of a day in the life of Jason Compson is presented.
The strange thing about Jason is how many times he says that he doesn't care about things. He attempts to write off Caddy, Quentin, Benjy, his Mother, his father, Dilsey, the people putting on a show but the important thing is that these are the elements that make up the story he chooses to tell. Yes, he's hard to relate to because he spends most of time complaining about everything, but his complaints give you better insight into what he really cares about.
He says on numerous occasions that he doesn't care about Quentin's going-ons. But we see him chase her down, for no other reason than he does care. Yes he is sure that she is out with the boy "not standing up" but because Jason is following them around, Quentin has no time to actually be with the boy. He is expending energy to stop her.
He tells Quentin that he doesn't want her fooling around on his "mother's" ground. Jason does not want Quentin caught on the family land because the Mother won't be able to ignore it if it happens there. Mother Compson does not leave the house, so Jason makes sure that she doesn't have to suffer heartbreak (any more than the stuff she causes herself).
Yes all the time Jason is doing awful things to all the people in the book. He teases Luster with the tickets to the show. He keeps Caddy from see her daughter. He's generally a racist. He's the last male of a family that is going to dust around him. How should he act?
Devilment
The other half of The Sound and the Fury was much more enjoyable of a read, at least for me. The character of Miss Quentin was given life and she was my favorite of the book. And even though Jason was a horrible, repulsive character, it was his and Miss Quentin's interactions (or lack of interaction) that was the most interesting to me. Even him alone, with just his thoughts and later his actions (when from a general point of view) were the parts of the book that made me react the most. Like, his burning of the tickets was infuriating and when he refuses to give Miss Quentin her money... it was so frustrating that it elicited a response from me. The guy was awful but his character was so well done.
Miss Quentin was the standout character to me. Not because she was an amazing person as Dilsey was, but because of what her life was and how she handled it and herself with this family that couldn't care less for her. The only one that seemed to care about her was Dilsey and Miss Quentin was not all that nice to her. That was really sad, I thought. She was a child who was born under unfortunate circumstances and lived in a place where those circumstances were not allowed to be forgotten or forgiven. She sought love in other places since she was not shown any at home.
The mother was sickening. She was so blind and just gross when it came to Jason. It was hard to read at times. How she saw all of her other children, and how she was such a victim... how she allowed Jason to treat Miss Quentin and Dilsey and Dilsey's children. That she would say that they were eating "his" bread. Wow, it was annoying.
I honestly don't think I really got The Sound and the Fury. Maybe another read would serve me well, but in the end I just felt like I was totally missing something, and I think that something may have been lost in the first and second chapters where I felt like I was lost in the woods.
Miss Quentin was the standout character to me. Not because she was an amazing person as Dilsey was, but because of what her life was and how she handled it and herself with this family that couldn't care less for her. The only one that seemed to care about her was Dilsey and Miss Quentin was not all that nice to her. That was really sad, I thought. She was a child who was born under unfortunate circumstances and lived in a place where those circumstances were not allowed to be forgotten or forgiven. She sought love in other places since she was not shown any at home.
The mother was sickening. She was so blind and just gross when it came to Jason. It was hard to read at times. How she saw all of her other children, and how she was such a victim... how she allowed Jason to treat Miss Quentin and Dilsey and Dilsey's children. That she would say that they were eating "his" bread. Wow, it was annoying.
I honestly don't think I really got The Sound and the Fury. Maybe another read would serve me well, but in the end I just felt like I was totally missing something, and I think that something may have been lost in the first and second chapters where I felt like I was lost in the woods.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Jason: I don't like you
The first half of the book introduced Jason as this creepy guy who was obsessed with the idea of his sister no longer being a virgin. Yes, I understand that he wanted to uphold the southern traditions and customs, but he was far too obsessive with his sister and her sexual escapades. The second half of the book, in my opinion, shows Jason at the peak of misery. By this point, he has stolen at least 50,000$ from his sister and mother. He pockets the money that Caddy sends to support Miss Quentin and uses it on a prostitute in Memphis. Sadly, his mother is a victim of his ill-fate. He,like the scathing scoundrel he is, has won his mother's trust. She is so blinded by her love for Jason that she cannot see the scheme he is running.
Jason has grown into a bitter,sadistic,and petty man who runs his family through the use of cruelty and hatred. He is only focused on future gain and consumes himself in greed and selfish acts. He clearly has no ambition or aspirations.
In general, The Sound and the Fury is a decent read, but Jason's character does not make it enjoyable at all.
Jason has grown into a bitter,sadistic,and petty man who runs his family through the use of cruelty and hatred. He is only focused on future gain and consumes himself in greed and selfish acts. He clearly has no ambition or aspirations.
In general, The Sound and the Fury is a decent read, but Jason's character does not make it enjoyable at all.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Jason Compson IV, Can Go Straight to Hell...
...at least as far as this reader is concerned. He is by far the most frustrating and confusing character I have encountered thus far in the novel. In his appendix to the novel, Faulkner described Jason as "the first sane Compson since before Culloden," but I simply cannot find any explanation for the way he behaves. Quentin (the eldest son), with his impotence, obsession, and suicide, is more comprehensible to me. Raised in a constantly backward-looking Southern aristocratic family, he has been ingrained with a conflicting idea of "family honor" since birth, pulled in one direction by his overbearing and hysterical mother and in the other by his cynical, disillusioned father. His position as the first-born son makes this burden all the heavier on his shoulders. His mental breakdown is a clear consequence of the destruction of his worldview.
Similarly, one can understand Caddy's downfall. Though we never actually enter into her viewpoint, a clear composite of her character emerges from her brothers' perspectives. She is similar to Quentin in her internal conflict between the grip of a dying South and the beckoning of a new modern world. She, however, is able to succeed (at least more than Quentin) in adapting to modernity, even though it costs her her family. While she does not ever seem entirely happy with the path she has taken, she has at least gained autonomy from antiquated mores and forged her own identity. Her sexual promiscuity is a reasonable attempt to liberate herself from the extreme repression of her family, particularly her mother.
Benjy is, of course, the most understandable character, despite his mental handicap. He has been given no choice about the way he is, and thus draws the most empathy from the reader. His relationship with Caddy seems to be the only meaningful and real relationship that occurs within the entire Compson family. The only character that rivals Benjy in understanding and compassion is Dilsey. However, I would argue he surpasses Dilsey in exactly how he perceives and understands those around him: he is directed by no notions of what he thinks or has been told is "right" or "wrong," but rather responds to the hurt and pain of those he loves.
But how does Jason fit into all of this? He clearly hates every one around him, and makes no bones about indicating it. In his own thoughts he expresses some kind of pity and affection for his mother, but he seems to create this feelings in order to justify his malicious and devious behavior. Quentin and Mr. Compson were both disillusioned by a modern world in which their values seem to have no place, but Jason doesn't seem to have ever had any values whatsoever. He is guided solely by his warped sense of pride and ambition. I can't find any correlation between his behavior and the downfall of Caddy, which seems to bring so much pain and destruction to the other Compsons.
The only explanation I can come up with so far is perhaps he fits into a large scheme of Faulkner's to illustrate the deterioration of the old South. Quentin, the oldest, has a mental breakdown and commits suicide. Caddy transgresses moral boundaries, engaging in sexual promiscuity, but these could also be called a breakdown of social relationships: she feels regret in having caused pain for Benjy and her father, but cannot not become an independent woman, contrary to old Southern values. Benjy would obviously be a complete breakdown of mental, social, and physical norms, but I would hate to describe Benjy as a symbol of deterioration, seeing as he is one of the few characters in the novel with any sense of compassion. All of this would leave Jason as the picture of social deterioration, being completely unable to function cooperatively within society. He has no real relationships with anyone and cannot seem to actually see people as they are. But then, can anyone (except Benjy and Dilsey) in the novel really see anyone else?
But I'm totally over 500 words now, and on the verge of rambling, so I'll leave the rest to be sorted out in class.
Similarly, one can understand Caddy's downfall. Though we never actually enter into her viewpoint, a clear composite of her character emerges from her brothers' perspectives. She is similar to Quentin in her internal conflict between the grip of a dying South and the beckoning of a new modern world. She, however, is able to succeed (at least more than Quentin) in adapting to modernity, even though it costs her her family. While she does not ever seem entirely happy with the path she has taken, she has at least gained autonomy from antiquated mores and forged her own identity. Her sexual promiscuity is a reasonable attempt to liberate herself from the extreme repression of her family, particularly her mother.
Benjy is, of course, the most understandable character, despite his mental handicap. He has been given no choice about the way he is, and thus draws the most empathy from the reader. His relationship with Caddy seems to be the only meaningful and real relationship that occurs within the entire Compson family. The only character that rivals Benjy in understanding and compassion is Dilsey. However, I would argue he surpasses Dilsey in exactly how he perceives and understands those around him: he is directed by no notions of what he thinks or has been told is "right" or "wrong," but rather responds to the hurt and pain of those he loves.
But how does Jason fit into all of this? He clearly hates every one around him, and makes no bones about indicating it. In his own thoughts he expresses some kind of pity and affection for his mother, but he seems to create this feelings in order to justify his malicious and devious behavior. Quentin and Mr. Compson were both disillusioned by a modern world in which their values seem to have no place, but Jason doesn't seem to have ever had any values whatsoever. He is guided solely by his warped sense of pride and ambition. I can't find any correlation between his behavior and the downfall of Caddy, which seems to bring so much pain and destruction to the other Compsons.
The only explanation I can come up with so far is perhaps he fits into a large scheme of Faulkner's to illustrate the deterioration of the old South. Quentin, the oldest, has a mental breakdown and commits suicide. Caddy transgresses moral boundaries, engaging in sexual promiscuity, but these could also be called a breakdown of social relationships: she feels regret in having caused pain for Benjy and her father, but cannot not become an independent woman, contrary to old Southern values. Benjy would obviously be a complete breakdown of mental, social, and physical norms, but I would hate to describe Benjy as a symbol of deterioration, seeing as he is one of the few characters in the novel with any sense of compassion. All of this would leave Jason as the picture of social deterioration, being completely unable to function cooperatively within society. He has no real relationships with anyone and cannot seem to actually see people as they are. But then, can anyone (except Benjy and Dilsey) in the novel really see anyone else?
But I'm totally over 500 words now, and on the verge of rambling, so I'll leave the rest to be sorted out in class.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Chapters 1 & 2 - Sound and the Fury
The first chapter of The Sound and the Fury was really, really difficult for me to get through. I felt like throwing the book out the window and giving up on Faulkner forever. But, I felt compelled to seek some guidance from a friend of mine and what he shared comforted me in that I discovered that it was not just me being an idiot and not comprehending what was happening, but it was just, in general, a really difficult read. However, this did not ease the burden of the read by any means, I still had to fight my way through it, and even when I was done with it, my sense of accomplishment in finishing that one chapter was not able to get rid of the thought blaring in my mind: what just happened? So, being a dedicated reader, I closed the book, and started all over again. The second time around helped a bit more but the fashion in which this chapter was written was completely baffling to me, even knowing that the narrator was mentally retarded. When thinking of Mosquitoes and Soldiers' Pay, this novel is so much more heavy and hard to grasp. Mainly in the first paragraph, while reading it through for the second time I kept wondering why Faulkner would want to write in such a way that seems intentionally confusing. I brushed that off, though, by thinking it was just me. The repetition of the phrase : Caddie smelled like trees almost killed me.
The second chapter, I was told by the person mentioned above, was to be much easier to comprehend. I did not find this to be the case. Again, the memories and the ambiguity of what is going on was really a bit much for me at times. I felt like I needed a companion to the decipher every line I was not understanding, which seemed like all of them. I know there is an unhealthy obsession with Caddie amongst her brothers, and the assertion that one committed incest as a way out of a bad situation (meaning Caddie's pregnancy) was pretty striking. The character goes to Harvard and such a thing as that strikes me as something that would be said by someone who just did not know any better. This really brings home the extent of the obsession with Caddie, and the frustration he has with her life and, in particular, her sex life. I do not really understand why there is such a fixation on her sexuality, since they are brothers, and on her in general but it's saddening how it plays out. That is probably complete ignorance of something on my part. The focus on time was very striking when it came to Quentin, even though his suicide did not come until later.
Speaking strictly of the first two chapters, this is one of, if not the, most difficult book I have ever read. The last chapter was the only one that I could say that I actually liked. And I am hesitant to say that because I feel like I am missing something and I don't want to sound foolish.
The second chapter, I was told by the person mentioned above, was to be much easier to comprehend. I did not find this to be the case. Again, the memories and the ambiguity of what is going on was really a bit much for me at times. I felt like I needed a companion to the decipher every line I was not understanding, which seemed like all of them. I know there is an unhealthy obsession with Caddie amongst her brothers, and the assertion that one committed incest as a way out of a bad situation (meaning Caddie's pregnancy) was pretty striking. The character goes to Harvard and such a thing as that strikes me as something that would be said by someone who just did not know any better. This really brings home the extent of the obsession with Caddie, and the frustration he has with her life and, in particular, her sex life. I do not really understand why there is such a fixation on her sexuality, since they are brothers, and on her in general but it's saddening how it plays out. That is probably complete ignorance of something on my part. The focus on time was very striking when it came to Quentin, even though his suicide did not come until later.
Speaking strictly of the first two chapters, this is one of, if not the, most difficult book I have ever read. The last chapter was the only one that I could say that I actually liked. And I am hesitant to say that because I feel like I am missing something and I don't want to sound foolish.
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