The Sound and the Fury Review the definitions of terms such as characterization, narrative, narrator, point of view, and symbolism using either the brief definitions available from the Purdue University Online Writing Lab , or more extensive definitions available from Carson-Newman College. Immediately obvious is the notion of a "tale told by an idiot," in this case Benjy, whose view of the Compsons' story opens the novel. Although the vocabulary is generally basic, the stream-of-consciousness technique, which attempts to transcribe the thoughts of the narrators directly, with frequent switches in time and setting and with loose sentence structure and grammar, has made it a quintessentially difficult work. Benjy's section is characterized by a highly disjointed narrative style with frequent chronological leaps. But Faulkner's use of this technique in The Sound and the Fury is probably the most successful and outstanding use that we have yet had. She, in contrast to the declining Compsons, draws a great deal of strength from her faith, standing as a proud figure amid a dying family. The first section is told in the first person viewpoint of Benjy Compson. April 8, 1928, is Easter Sunday. Dilsey is mistreated and abused, but nevertheless remains loyal. When The Sound and the Fury first appeared, the most frequent criticism was that the four sections were arbitrarily and capriciously distorted.A number of critics and readers were confused by Faulkner's decision to begin the novel with the Benjy section. Faulkner’s innovative and often confusing language is the most unique part of The Sound and the Fury. It played a role in William Faulkner's receiving the 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature. Often referred to as Quentin II or Miss Quentin by readers to distinguish her from her uncle, for whom she was named. It employs a number of narrative styles, including stream of consciousness. It is nearly unanimously considered a masterpiece by literary critics and scholars, but its unconventional narrative style frequently alienates new readers. "[6], This article is about the novel by William Faulkner. [291-56; and "The Pairing of The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying," Princeton University Library Chronicle xvm (Spring 1957), 114-23. The librarian later realizes that while Jason remains cold and unsympathetic towards Caddy, Dilsey simply understands that Caddy neither wants nor needs to be saved from the Germans, because nothing else remains for her. Herbert finds out that the child is not his, and sends Caddy and her new daughter away in shame. The novel is separated into four narratives. Because of the complexity of this section, it is often the one most extensively studied by scholars of the novel. [citation needed] Not only do chronological events mesh together irregularly, but often (especially at the end) Faulkner completely disregards any semblance of grammar, spelling, or punctuation, instead writing in a rambling series of words, phrases, and sentences that have no separation to indicate where one thought ends and another begins. Gunn, Giles. Has been embezzling Miss Quentin's support payments for years. He therefore sets off once again to find her on his own, but loses her trail in nearby Mottson, and gives her up as gone for good. The Ink of Melancholy: Faulkner's Novels from, Bleikasten, André. While many first-time readers report Benjy's section as being difficult to understand, these same readers often find Quentin's section to be near impossible. The appendix concludes with an accounting for the black family who worked as servants to the Compsons. Ridiculously Complicated. By 1929 Faulkner had given up trying to please publishers and reviewers, and, as the critic Albert J. Guerard has noted, now seemed "to write only for himself and a happy few." Caddy is the only family member who shows any genuine love towards him. The novel has achieved great critical success and a prominent place among the greatest of American novels. The novel goes from past to present with no rhyme or... Get The Sound and the Fury from Amazon.com. The model for Benjy's character may have had its beginning in the 1925 New Orleans. The Sound and the Fury is set in Mississippi in the early 1900s, and primarily follows the decline of the Compsons, a white aristocratic family. Other crucial memories in this section are Benjy's change of name (from Maury, after his uncle) in 1900 upon the discovery of his disability; the marriage and divorce of Caddy (1910), and Benjy's castration, resulting from an attack on a girl that is alluded to briefly within this chapter when a gate is left unlatched and Benjy is out unsupervised. The family discovers that Miss Quentin has run away in the middle of the night with a carnival worker, having found the hidden collection of cash in Jason's closet and taken both her money (the support from Caddy, which Jason had stolen) and her money-obsessed uncle's life savings. On this Easter Sunday, Dilsey takes her family and Benjy to the "colored" church. His role makes him bitter and cynical, with little of the passionate sensitivity that we see in his older brother and sister. Candace "Caddy" Compson – the second Compson child, strong-willed yet caring. It’s on us.) 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