Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury: New Ideas or Common Belief Essay Example

as "a judgment on me" (5). This is in stark contrast to the relationship between Dilsey and Benjy. Dilsey does not feel ashamed of him and even brings him along to church. These instances highlight Dilsey's reputation as the wisest, strongest, and most practical character in the novel. Furthermore, Dilsey serves as a prime example of Faulkner's portrayal of the growing presence of black individuals in society. Other members of Dilsey's family also exemplify this trend.

On the very first page of the book Luster, a boy who is likely about half the age of Benjy is looking after him, prompting speculation about Benjy's "true" family. Flashbacks reveal that Versh and T.P. also frequently care for Benjy. These scenarios can be linked to an incident mentioned in the previous paragraph, where Mrs. Compson feels too ashamed to bring Benjy to church, but Dilsey willingly accompanies him.

The text demonstrates Faulkner's use of flashbacks to highlight the awareness of the servants in contrast to the Compsons. In one instance, Roskus comments on the lack of luck at the Compson's place in a scene from 1910 (29). This conversation implies that the servants have a better understanding of the Compsons' downfall than the Compsons themselves. Additionally, Faulkner includes numerous derogatory remarks towards the Gibson's, with both adults and children using the words "nigger" and "negro" on more than 50 occasions. Another example of this occurs in the Quentin section of the book.

When Quentin encounters Deacon, an African American man, and engages in conversation with him, he perceives a resemblance between him and Roskus, thinking to himself, "he was looking at me...and suddenly I saw Roskus" (99). Quentin associates Deacon

with Roskus solely based on their shared racial identity, as he believes that all African Americans are only equal to one another. Similarly, Jason holds a contemptuous view towards anything related to African Americans throughout the novel. In Jason's perspective, the term "people" is synonymous only with white individuals, while he derogatorily refers to African Americans as "niggers." For example, he states, "six niggers that cant even stand up out of a chair unless they've got a pan of bread and meat to balance them" (180).

In these examples, Faulkner may be demonstrating his commitment to portraying his upbringing without attempting to alter it. The Dilsey section presents two contrasting viewpoints. Some argue that it signifies hope, as Dilsey is depicted as the strongest character and concluding the novel with her emphasizes a fresh start. Conversely, others contend that the first three sections are narrated by the characters they focus on, whereas Faulkner himself serves as the narrator in the Dilsey section. This choice could be interpreted as Faulkner's belief that the thoughts of a black person are not valued or deserving of being written about. In hindsight, Faulkner's composition of this novel allows for diverse interpretations.

One motif behind The Sound and the Fury by Faulkner is the contrast between optimism for the south and a focus on its negative aspects. Regardless of Faulkner's motives, it is undeniable that this novel is exceptionally well-written and highly regarded in literature.