The Sound and the Fury is 1929 novel by the American author William Faulkner. Faulkner is widely renowned for his experimentation of the narrative technique called ‘stream of consciousness’. William James in his Principles of Psychology describes it as ‘the unbroken flow of perceptions, memories, thoughts and feelings in the waking mind’. In this narrative technique, the narrator seemingly rants about thoughts and introspections that flows through their mind. The novel is a true testament to this narrative.
The book follows the story of the Compson family who are slowly losing their way in the an postbellum (post-war) American South. The Composn family used to be wealthy and mighty in their olden days, but unlike their ancestors, the current members of the family cannot seem to command the power they once held. The story is divided into four parts. The first part takes place on April seventh 1928 and is narrated by Benjy Compson, the mentally challenged youngest son of the family. The second part takes place eighteen years prior on June second, 1910. It is narrated by the oldest son Quentin who is a student at Harvard. The third part takes place a day before the first part, on April sixth 1928. It is narrated by the headstrong third son Jason Compson. The final part takes place a day after the first part, on April eighth 1928. It is narrated by a seemingly omniscient narrator who records the observations of Dilsey, the family’s loyal black servant.
“Clocks slay time… time is dead as long as it is being clicked off by little wheels; only when the clock stops does time come to life.”
– William Faulkner
The story is fragmented and is narrated in a non-chronological manner. Most of the story has been uncovered based on audience’s interpretation to try and form a coherent narrative of the same. The story narrates the three Compson brothers’ seeming obsession over their sister Caddy, who surprisingly does not narrate any portion of the novel. Despite not having her own narrative, it is clear that Caddy has influenced her brothers and holds a strong presence throughout the novel. Growing up with an incompetent and absent-minded father, Caddy assumes charge of her brothers. This sense of control continues to grow and she proves that she is capable of making her own way in life. Her family disapproves of her promiscuity and banishes her after she gets pregnant out of wedlock.
The first part, narrated by Benjy is the most convoluted of all. It gives a glimpse of what his thoughts and records his accounts on how people around him treat him. His memories are interconnected and they create a domino effect as they are triggered by senses like smell or touch. For instance, a sensation that he experiences in the present triggers a memory of similar sensation in the past. Caddy is the only one who treated Benjy as a normal being and he misses her. They both share a strong emotional bond and lot of his memories are associated to her. The second narrator Quentin has a similar strong bond with Caddy. Being the older brother, he is overprotective of her and even hints of incestual jealousy over her. Quentin is also deeply disturbed by his sister’s promiscuity which is unlike the ‘Southern morals’. He is intelligent and his narration is crudely interspersed with philosophy and existential questioning. The narrator of the third part Jason is strongly against Caddy. He is petty and resentful and blames everyone else around him for his misfortunes. He blames Caddy for the loss of his job which was promised to him by her ex-husband. He is headstrong and clings desperately to the old power that the Compson family once held. He obtains this feeling by controlling his family including Caddy’s child. The narrator of the fourth part Dilsey is the only objective narrator in the family. Despite being a black woman in a post-slavery abolishment era, she serves the Compson family loyally and seems to be the only one holding the family together. Although the family bosses her around, she’s content and dedicated to the work she does and is the only ‘sane’ one among the rest.
The Sound and the Fury is definitely worth a read to understand the complexities of a non-chronological narrative. It is impossible to be explained through a conventional synopsis as it only scratches the surface of the true depth of the novel. It is riddled with symbolisms and open-ended plotlines that motivates the readers to think for themselves. The realistic aspect of the novel also makes the characters more endearing to the readers. It is easily one of Faulkner’s best.
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