Similarities and Differences of Characters in the Sound and the Fury

The Sound and the Fury is one of the best novels in history. It is a compelling story that shows different aspects of a family that is slowly deteriorating. William Faulkner made it clear that one of the most important aspects of this novel is the theme of lost. Faulkner gave the views of four different individuals who all had one main obsession, their sister Caddy, who in a way symbolizes the lost that each person endures and the deterioration of the south. Caddy, who did not have a part in the novel to tell her side of the story, was viewed very differently by each of her brothers. This novel tells a story of the Compson family on their way of distinction.

The story begin with Benjamin who is mentally challenge tells the first section of the story; this is one of the most difficult chapters of the book that is very difficult to comprehend for the simple fact that Benjamin has no motion of time. Therefore he constantly goes back in forth with the present and past. In order to fully understand the chapter, you must slowly comprehend when he is speaking of the past and when he is speaking in the present. All his memories have to do with Caddy. She was the one who gave him order. His life was based around Caddy because she was the mother figure in his life. She was the one that gave Benjamin the love he needed. There was a point in the novel were Luster was taking Benjamin and he started to cry hysterically because Luster took him on an unfamiliar route; Jason found out he hit Luster and told him to never do that again or he’ll kill him because Benjamin lost the order he lived with. Without the familiarity of his surroundings there would not be any meaning to his life. The only thing he has left in his life is the memories he had with his sister. When Caddy ran away Benjamin lost the order in his life and the loved he needed.

The second chapter was told by Quentin, which was much easier to comprehend than the first chapter and he tells his perspective of events that happened in his past that he hasn’t quite gotten over. Quentin had a close bond with his sister Caddy. Quentin cares about the old southern code of honor. When Quentin finds out about Caddy loss of innocence, he becomes emotionally unstable. He cared so much for his sister that he was willing to runaway with her and Benjamin with his Harvard money to start a new life. He was scared for the welfare of her and the child. It shocked him even more when he went to confides in her father for advice and when he smoke about the situation with his father, it shocked him how his father did not have any respect for the old south values. When he goes to Harvard he committed suicide because he couldn’t deal with his past. Quentin lost his hope for life, will to live and he lost his moral values.

Jason’s obsession with Caddy is the hatred he has towards her. He blames her for him not getting the job her ex-husband promised him because she hiding her pregnancy by another man. This event made him become a bitter, greedy man that only cares for himself. This is why he is always fighting with Miss. Quentin. He blames Caddy’s daughter for her mistake. The only person that actually cares for him is his mother. She even admitted that the only child she cared for is Jason. He portrays himself as a caring son for his mother, when the truth is he only cares for himself. The only reason Benjamin is still in that house with them is because of his mother. Jason would gladly send Benjamin to Jackson when his mother passes. Jason does not care for anyone else. He is wrapped up in his on sorrow that he doesn’t have any ambition to protect his family financial structure. The only thing that he cares about is money. Caddy is the reason Jason lost the one chance to have his dream job and because of that he resent everyone and everything in his life.

Benjamin did not have a notion of time and could only remember his past through smells and incidents. Quentin was obsessed with time and his past so much that he killed himself. Jason was obsessed with making money for his future. Jason lives in the present, since he became the man of the house when his father died, he took care of all the finances and the household. For instance when it was Benjamin’s birthday Dilsey had to spend her own