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

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

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  • Pages: 3 (805 words)
  • Published: May 8, 2018
  • Type: Paper
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The Sound and the Fury, written in 1929 by William Faulkner, is a masterpiece. It revolves around the Compson family, who have strong Southern ties. The novel presents the perspectives of four characters: Benjy, Quentin, Jason, and Dilsey.

Faulkner's portrayal of Dilsey Gibson and her family as the black servants to the Compson's has raised debates among readers. While some argue that Faulkner presents Dilsey as the strongest character in the book, others point out the derogatory comments he makes towards her and her family. This novel leaves room for interpretation as to whether Faulkner is conforming to common beliefs about black people or trying to challenge societal opinions.
On page 265, Faulkner describes Dilsey as having once been a big woman, but now her skeleton rises. This serves as a representation of all that Dilsey has sacrifi

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ced in becoming a servant to the Compsons.

Most may perceive this quote as representing something negative, but it can actually be seen as a symbol of hope. Even though Dilsey has had almost everything taken away from her, she is still alive and undefeated. This is in stark contrast to Mrs. Compson, who comes from a formerly prominent Southern family. Despite the challenging circumstances Dilsey faces as a black woman in a time when blacks were not seen as fully human, she persists in fighting and living her life. She diligently cares for the Compson home and serves as a maternal figure to the children, demonstrating her strength and resilience.

Compson, on the other hand, is confined to bed due to her frequent "headaches" and ailments. Additionally, Mrs. Compson lacks care for Benjy, both physically and emotionally, constantly referring to him

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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.

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