The Sound and the Fury: A Comprehensive Study Guide

Part 1: Introduction and Context

Overview

“The Sound and the Fury” is a novel written by William Faulkner, first published in 1929. It is widely considered one of the greatest works of 20th-century literature and a cornerstone of the Southern Gothic and modernist traditions. The novel’s innovative narrative structure, complex characters, and profound exploration of themes such as time, memory, and the decline of the American South have secured its place in the literary canon.

Historical and Cultural Context

The novel is set in Jefferson, Mississippi, a fictional town based on Faulkner’s hometown of Oxford. The story primarily takes place in the 1910s and 1920s, a period of significant social and economic change in the American South. This era, known as the post-Reconstruction period, was marked by:

1. The lingering effects of the Civil War and Reconstruction
2. The decline of the old Southern aristocracy
3. Racial tensions and the enforcement of Jim Crow laws
4. The gradual industrialization and modernization of the South
5. The emergence of the “New South” ideology

Faulkner’s work is deeply rooted in this transitional period, exploring the tensions between the Old South’s fading traditions and the encroaching modern world. The Compson family, at the center of the novel, serves as a microcosm for the broader changes and challenges facing the South during this time.

Literary Context

“The Sound and the Fury” is considered a masterpiece of modernist literature. Key aspects of its literary context include:

1. Modernism: The novel exemplifies many modernist techniques, including non-linear narrative, stream of consciousness, and multiple perspectives.
2. Southern Gothic: Faulkner’s work is a prime example of this subgenre, which combines elements of gothic literature with the unique cultural context of the American South.
3. Lost Generation: Faulkner is often associated with the Lost Generation of writers, including Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald, who came of age during World War I and whose work often reflected disillusionment with traditional values.

Author Biography

William Faulkner (1897-1962) was born in New Albany, Mississippi, and spent most of his life in Oxford, Mississippi. Key points in his life that influenced “The Sound and the Fury” include:

1. Family background: Faulkner came from a family of Southern planters who had lost much of their wealth and status after the Civil War, a experience reflected in the Compson family’s decline.
2. Education: Although he never completed high school, Faulkner was a voracious reader and briefly attended the University of Mississippi.
3. World War I: Faulkner trained as a pilot in the Canadian Royal Air Force but never saw combat, an experience that may have influenced his exploration of masculinity and honor in his works.
4. Early writing career: Before “The Sound and the Fury,” Faulkner had published poetry and two novels, but had not yet achieved significant recognition.
5. Yoknapatawpha County: Faulkner created this fictional Mississippi county, based on Lafayette County, as the setting for many of his works, including “The Sound and the Fury.”

Publication and Reception

“The Sound and the Fury” was Faulkner’s fourth novel, published on October 7, 1929, just weeks before the stock market crash that precipitated the Great Depression. Initial reception was mixed:

1. Critical acclaim: Many literary critics recognized the novel’s innovative structure and powerful prose, praising Faulkner’s ambitious storytelling.
2. Commercial failure: Despite critical praise, the novel sold poorly at first, reflecting its challenging nature for many readers.
3. Growing reputation: Over time, the novel’s reputation grew, especially after Faulkner won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1949.
4. Enduring influence: Today, “The Sound and the Fury” is considered one of the most influential novels of the 20th century, studied widely in literature courses and continually reinterpreted by scholars and readers alike.

The novel’s title comes from a soliloquy in Shakespeare’s “Macbeth,” which reads:
“Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.”
This allusion sets the tone for the novel’s exploration of time, memory, and the sometimes senseless nature of human existence.

Part 2: Plot Summary and Character Analysis

Plot Summary

“The Sound and the Fury” is divided into four distinct sections, each with a different narrator and timeline. This non-linear structure is one of the novel’s most distinctive features.

Section 1: April 7, 1928 (Benjy’s Section)

• Narrated by Benjy Compson, a 33-year-old man with severe cognitive disabilities.
• The narrative jumps between various points in time, primarily focusing on Benjy’s memories.
• Key events include:
  • Caddy’s wedding
  • The changing of Benjy’s name from Maury
  • Caddy’s loss of virginity
  • Benjy’s castration
• The section is characterized by sensory impressions and a lack of clear chronology.

Section 2: June 2, 1910 (Quentin’s Section)

• Narrated by Quentin Compson, the eldest son, on the day of his suicide.
• Set at Harvard University, but includes many flashbacks to Quentin’s youth in Mississippi.
• Key events include:
  • Quentin’s obsession with his sister Caddy’s sexuality
  • His confrontation with Dalton Ames, Caddy’s lover
  • His failed attempt to claim he committed incest with Caddy
  • His preparations for suicide
• The section is marked by stream-of-consciousness narration and fragmented memories.

Section 3: April 6, 1928 (Jason’s Section)

• Narrated by Jason Compson IV, the third child and current head of the household.
• More straightforward in style than the previous sections.
• Key events include:
  • Jason’s bitter resentment towards his family, especially Caddy and her daughter Quentin
  • His embezzlement of money meant for Quentin
  • His pursuit of Miss Quentin after she steals his money and runs away
• The section reveals Jason’s cruel, bitter nature and the family’s continued decline.

Section 4: April 8, 1928 (Omniscient Narrator)

• Narrated in the third person, focusing primarily on Dilsey, the Compsons’ black servant.
• Provides a more objective view of the Compson family and their decline.
• Key events include:
  • Dilsey taking Benjy to Easter church service
  • The discovery of Miss Quentin’s disappearance
  • Jason’s futile pursuit of Quentin
• The section offers a sense of closure and a broader perspective on the family’s tragedy.

Character Analysis

Benjy Compson

• The youngest Compson child, born with severe cognitive disabilities.
• Unable to speak or understand the concept of time.
• Highly sensitive to sensory stimuli and changes in his routine.
• Symbolizes innocence and the purest form of love in the novel.

Quentin Compson

• The eldest Compson son, intelligent but deeply troubled.
• Obsessed with Southern ideals of honor and his sister Caddy’s sexuality.
• Unable to reconcile his ideals with reality, leading to his suicide.
• Represents the decline of the Old South and its values.

Jason Compson IV

• The third Compson child, now head of the household.
• Bitter, cruel, and materialistic.
• Resentful of his family and circumstances.
• Embodies the worst aspects of the New South: greed, racism, and a lack of compassion.

Caddy Compson

• The only Compson daughter, central to the narrative despite never narrating a section.
• Rebellious, passionate, and nurturing.
• Her promiscuity and pregnancy drive much of the family conflict.
• Symbolizes both the family’s decline and the changing role of women in Southern society.

Miss Quentin

• Caddy’s illegitimate daughter, raised by the Compson family.
• Rebellious and resentful of her uncle Jason’s control.
• Her actions mirror her mother’s, continuing the cycle of family tragedy.

Mr. and Mrs. Compson

• Caroline Compson: Self-absorbed, hypochondriac mother who neglects her children.
• Jason Compson III: Alcoholic father, once a brilliant man, now resigned to nihilism.
• Their failings as parents contribute significantly to their children’s troubles.

Dilsey Gibson

• The Compsons’ long-serving black cook and housekeeper.
• Patient, loving, and deeply religious.
• Provides stability and care for the Compson children, especially Benjy.
• Represents endurance and moral strength in the face of the family’s decline.

Supporting Characters

• T.P., Frony, and Luster: Dilsey’s family members who also work for the Compsons.
• Dalton Ames: Caddy’s lover, who becomes the focus of Quentin’s hatred.
• Herbert Head: Caddy’s husband, whom she marries after becoming pregnant by another man.
• Uncle Maury: Mrs. Compson’s brother, a parasitic figure in the Compson household.

The complex interplay between these characters drives the narrative of “The Sound and the Fury,” with each character’s actions and motivations contributing to the overall themes of family decline, the burden of the past, and the changing face of the American South.

Part 3: Themes, Symbolism, and Literary Devices

Major Themes

1. The Decline of the Old South

• The Compson family serves as a microcosm for the broader decay of Southern aristocracy.
• Examples:
  • The selling of Benjy’s pasture to pay for Quentin’s Harvard education
  • The family’s loss of social status and financial stability
  • Jason’s corruption as a reflection of the new, materialistic South

2. Time and Memory

• The non-linear narrative structure emphasizes the subjective nature of time and memory.
• Examples:
  • Benjy’s inability to distinguish between past and present
  • Quentin’s obsession with stopping time
  • The contrast between clock time and psychological time throughout the novel

3. The Burden of the Past

• Characters struggle with the weight of family history and Southern tradition.
• Examples:
  • Quentin’s inability to reconcile Southern ideals with modern reality
  • Jason’s bitterness over lost opportunities
  • The shadow of the Compson ancestors over the current generation

4. Family Dysfunction

• The breakdown of family relationships is a central focus of the novel.
• Examples:
  • Mrs. Compson’s neglectful parenting
  • The siblings’ complex and often harmful relationships with each other
  • The contrast between the Compson family and Dilsey’s more functional family unit

5. Innocence and Corruption

• The novel explores the loss of innocence and the corrupting influence of society.
• Examples:
  • Benjy’s pure, unchanging perspective versus the moral decline of his siblings
  • Caddy’s fall from innocence and its impact on her brothers
  • The corruption of Southern ideals in the face of modernization

Symbolism and Motifs

1. The Pasture and Golf Course

• Symbolizes the family’s decline and the commercialization of the Old South
• The transformation from Benjy’s beloved pasture to a golf course represents the loss of innocence and tradition

2. Water and Cleanliness

• Associated with Caddy and ideas of purity or sin
• Examples:
  • Caddy’s muddy drawers as a child foreshadowing her later “fall”
  • Quentin’s obsession with cleanliness in relation to Caddy’s sexuality

3. Watches and Clocks

• Represent the tyranny of time and the characters’ struggle against it
• Examples:
  • Quentin’s breaking of his watch
  • The contrast between mechanical time and the fluid nature of memory

4. Shadows

• Often associated with the burden of the past and the ephemeral nature of life
• The novel’s title, referencing Macbeth’s “walking shadow,” underscores this theme

5. Fire

• Symbolizes both destruction and purification
• Examples:
  • The fireplace in which Jason burns checks meant for Miss Quentin
  • Quentin’s memory of burning up as a metaphor for his intense emotions

Literary Devices and Techniques

1. Stream of Consciousness

• Faulkner uses this modernist technique extensively, particularly in Benjy’s and Quentin’s sections
• Allows for a deep exploration of characters’ psyches and the fluid nature of memory

2. Multiple Perspectives

• The four distinct narrative sections provide different viewpoints on the same events
• Highlights the subjective nature of reality and the complexity of truth

3. Non-linear Narrative

• The fragmented, non-chronological structure mirrors the characters’ psychological states
• Challenges the reader to piece together the story, much like assembling a puzzle

4. Italics

• Used to indicate shifts in time or perspective, particularly in Benjy’s section
• Helps navigate the complex narrative structure

5. Southern Dialect and Vernacular

• Faulkner’s use of dialect, particularly in dialogue, adds authenticity to the Southern setting
• Highlights class and racial differences among characters

6. Repetition and Echoes

• Certain phrases, images, and events recur throughout the novel
• Reinforces themes and creates a sense of cyclical time

7. Contrast and Juxtaposition

• Faulkner often places contrasting elements side by side for emphasis
• Examples:
  • The Compson family versus Dilsey’s family
  • Past glory versus present decay

8. Allusion

• References to classical and biblical sources enrich the text
• The title itself is an allusion to Shakespeare’s Macbeth

9. Symbolism in Names

• Character names often carry symbolic weight
• Example: Benjy’s name change from Maury, separating him from his uncle’s immoral influence

10. Foreshadowing

• Early events often hint at later developments
• Example: Caddy’s muddy drawers foreshadowing her later promiscuity

Faulkner’s masterful use of these themes, symbols, and literary devices creates a rich, complex narrative that continues to challenge and engage readers. The novel’s exploration of time, memory, and the human psyche through its innovative structure and deep characterization cements its place as a cornerstone of modernist literature.