The Sound and the Fury

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The Sound and the Fury
William Faulkner
1929

The Summary
Divided into four parts, The Sound and the Fury catalogs the events in the gradual deterioration of a southern family.  It presents events from the perspectives of Benjy (Benjamin), Quentin, and Jason Compson, as well as Dilsey, a servant in the house.  Besides giving the reader a glimpse into their lives and minds, Faulkner confronts the meaning of time (past, present, and future), toys with shadows and death, and examines southern heritage, honor, tradition, humanity, racism and religion, and more.

The Good
William Faulkner definitely will not disappoint with this novel.  It is deep, it is rich, it is complex.  The society - the lives - Faulkner creates in this story will enchant and disgust, endear and repel.  In The Sound and the Fury, there exists a depth of consciousness which encompasses all of humanity's vices and virtues.  Reality, to a certain degree, becomes actualized by Faulkner.  And, throughout his novel, he not only entreats you to read further but makes it well worth your while.

The Bad
The Sound and the Fury is not an easy book to read.  There exist layers of complexity beneath the surface, as well as an unusual prose style.  In the first section (Benjy's chapter), punctuation and chronology become mixed up with the memories and sights, smells, sounds, and sensations Benjy experiences.  It does not follow any set path, rather it bounces between the past and the present, interweaving dialogue and memories and experiences beyond any set point of recognition.

Likewise, the second section (Quentin's chapter) will toy with punctuation, capitalization, time, emotional and physical turmoil, and suicide.  In some of the final pages of his chapter, punctuation and capitalization are completely disregarded in a torrent of memory and emotion.  There's also a mental complexity to this chapter, which, ultimately, makes very little sense, until one understands it is the story of a man contemplating suicide.

It's also important to realize there are names, which overlap.  There are two characters named Quentin (one male, and one female), two characters named Jason (a father and son), and two characters named Maury (until one has his name changed to Benjamin - i.e. Benjy).

As I said, this is not an easy novel.  A character map or timeline may prove beneficial.

The Ugly
As you read this novel, certain topics will arise which may be difficult to swallow.  Suicide, virginity, obsession, familial disputes, cruelty, racism - and, well, the list goes on.  Moreover, cruel - and just plain nasty - individuals will step into the limelight.  (I might suggest the third section, Jason's chapter, as an excellent example of cruelty, racism, voyeurism, and unhealthy obsessions, among other things.)

Rest assured, you will find at least one character (quite possibly, two or three), who will merit all your hatred and loathing.