Dilsey the Delightful Darling

Ah, the final post on The Sound and the Fury, unfortunately Faulkner's run is over. His book ended on a good note though, with the wonderful Dilsey. Dilsey is the strong, protective presence in the Compson family; she is also the only one who seems to have a normal sense of what we call time. The chapter itself is in the usual third-person voice, but it focuses on Dilsey. She places events in a logical timeline, and does't seem to be tied down or obsessed with either the past or the present. This understanding is most clearly seen when she says, "I seen de beginnin, en now I sees de ending." She has witnessed and lived through this transition the Compson family went through, from old south to new south. With this quote, Dilsey shows that she recognizes as Quentin runs away, the Compson family name is reduced to nothing. This final chapter also reinforces the characters that we had previously been introduced to. Mrs. Compson is lazy and a horrible parent just as before; Benjy still finds displeasure if things aren't familiar to him as is evident at the end of the chapter, and Jason is as self-centered and bitter as ever. However, as Dilsey observes and is around these characters constantly, she is not corrupted by them, and instead remains strong willed and adheres the order of things by completing the tasks given to her without question. It is also interesting to consider that the only sane and not self absorbed person left is a black servant. Perhaps the greatest symbol for the new south triumphing over the old south is Dilsey. Her presence as the strong leader of the Compson family shows that a new order in the south is on the way. The racism and hierarchy of the old south, among other things, didn't survive, and they didn't survive in Faulkner's novel either. The order in which Faulkner presented these characters and chapters is also telling. Each chapter becomes easier to read and more coherent as a whole, ultimately building up to a chapter in which the black servant of the household is the focus. Faulkner chose this order to emphasize that each of the Compson boys was deeply flawed or corrupted in some way, and to create a contrast with the normal narration of Dilsey, who is also strong willed compared to the other Compson men. Simply put, the novel is about change. The book specifically addressed the change of the old south to new south and emphasized this change through characters that illustrated one or the other. In the end, the new progressive values and ideals of the new south won out. The consequences for those who try to hold on to the old are shown in the Compson family. Because they tried to clinch to the old south, they were rolled up and tossed aside, eventually reduced to nothing. However, the book ends on a somewhat optimistic note. Not only does the book conclude on Easter sunday, which symbolizes redemption and hope, but it also ends with Benjy's world of chaos and disorder returning to his peaceful routine when Luster returns to the familiar path. Faulkner seems to hint that the Compson family has a chance at redemption and a return to order just as it did for Benjy. In the end, Faulkner's tale signifies that change is essential to survival, and if we don't change with the times, then we could end up much like the Compson family.

Jason and the "Argo-Not Nice's"

As I read The Sound and the Fury, many of the characters I encounter, I feel a degree of sympathy towards. This is far from the case when it comes to Jason. Jason is a bitter, cruel, racist and sexist, who unfortunately is the new head of the Compson family. The very first line of Jason's chapter sets the tone for the rest of his chapter, " Once a bitch always a bitch, what I say." It shows Jason's disregard for women and also reveals something else, his refusal to acknowledge change. Jason himself is a character that doesn't change through time. Even as a child, Jason was tormenting Benjy, who he is extremely embraced of, and he is tattle tailing on Caddy when she gets her clothes wet. Now an adult, Jason is just as cruel, maybe crueler, to those around him. Jason from childhood to present doesn't evolve or change attitudes towards anything or anyone. Jason is also a very bitter and resentful person; he especially harbors animosity towards Caddy because he feels it's her fault he didn't get the job at the bank. He also resents Caddy for ruining the family name, which he thinks is her fault alone. Jason, unlike some of the previous characters, cares highly about himself and what others think about him. This is reflected when he says, "I got a reputation in this town, and I'm not going to have any member of my family going on like a nigger wench." Jason is angrily addressing Quentin here, and just like Quentin's mother, Jason is angered at her promiscuity. Quentin is not only a sexist but a racist too. His comment on Jews reveals this racism, "I have nothing against Jews as an individual...It's just the race." In this racist insult, Jason analyzes it in economic terms, he doesn't like them because he thinks they don't produce anything. This concern with money explains something else, Jason's fixation on the present and using the present as a way to help himself in the future. Perhaps the most disturbing thing Jason does to reveal this attitude, is his willingness to steal from his own family. He takes checks from Caddy meant for Miss Quentin, for himself, and Miss Compson, blinded by her love for Jason, lets this robbery continue. Overall, through Jason's many schemes, actions, and comments, it is clear he is quite a horrible person. His complete disregard for those around him, and the lows he is willing to go to for personal gain, illustrate a cruel and mean-spirited man. While Jason may have been the easiest to read and understand, his chapter was very unpleasant and uncomfortable to read.