William Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury was hands down the most complicated book I have ever read. Faulkner starts off the book with two chapters, chock full of information, trapped in the troubled consciousness of Quentin as well as Benjy's lack of consciousness. All this information is brought together when Dilsey and Jason narrate. However, despite Jason's ability to think on a normal level, when compared to Dilsey, the truth is diluted with rage against the world. For the first time in the whole story, we get a narrator who can provide clear, unaltered truths about the Compsons. This search for truth, or in other words, the search to find out who the Composons are and where they are going becomes a primary motif in the book, as the first three narrators fail to do this on their own. Dilsey's chapter is essential to the book, as it ties the story together with the constant that was never present.

After Mr. Compson passes away, Jason assumes his place as the head of the household. In this position of power, he decides institute a "new system" for the Compsons. The first paragraph in the chapter makes very clear his opinions of others, and how he is going to run the family, as he states, "Once a bitch, always a bitch" (113). Following this line, he goes on to complain about the subject of his initial insult, his niece Quentin. He rambles on about how she's ditching school, and he assumes that she is sleeping around with boys instead of going to class. Finally, he decides to "follow her around and see what she does" (114). This passage, spanning the first page and a half of his chapter, outlines completely what his decided new Compson way will be. It is rooted in grudges, personal gain, and pride, all conducted under an authoritarian attitude.

The next passage that perfectly illustrates Jason's ideal Compson family, is further on in the chapter, where he is talking about what he is going to do when his mother passes away. Upon having this usually sensitive and penitential conversation with his mother, Jason responds by saying, "you'd better be sure and not let me know you're gone because I'll sure have him on number seventeen that night and I think I know a place where they'll take her too, and it's not Milk street and Honey avenue" (139). He shows absolutely no remorse for the idea of his mother's imminent passing, obviously viewing it as a roadblock to his plans being lifted. When Jason talks about sending "him" on number seventeen, he is referring to putting Benjy in an insane asylum in Jackson. Additionally, when he talks about "her" not going to "milk street and honey avenue" he is referencing a bible passage to illustrate Quentin's fate when Mrs. Compson is no longer around. This passage in Exodus states that the inhabitants of the promised land, the land of milk and honey, will be cast out because of their sexual sins. Similarly, Jason wants to cast Quentin for similar sins, implying that she will be struggling on the streets.

Finally, the narrative form, unlike Benjy or Quentin, almost lives in the present. Jason seems to have the inability to reflect back on the past. This speaks worlds about him as a character and narrator. He lives almost solely in the present, with the exception of his vendettas against various members of his household. His major concerns are about what is good for him now. This trait compromises his ability to be a reliable narrator. His prejudice against his own family members, as well as blacks or women in general, shapes the passage. His world, and consequently the reader's, is clouded by anger. One, unreliable perspective of events is available.

Quentin Compson is obviously a troubled young man. His narration of The Sound and the Fury reflects this. Quentin, unlike Benjy, has a concept of time and can discern memories from the present day. Despite this, Quentin still includes detailed and in depth flashbacks similar to Benjy's section of the story. This shows that Quentin harbors on memories. Just like Benjy his past becomes the present, as he cannot let go of certain memories.  He even criticizes the majority of people, thinking that "they cannot even remember tomorrow what seemed dreadful today One memory in particular that weighs upon his mind is when he found out his little sister, Caddy, lost her virginity. The man who took it, Dalton Ames, floods his consciousness. His obsession of traditional Southern Values, passed onto him by his father, namely female purity in the form of virginity, make it impossible for Quentin to resolve these moments in his head. His inability to console himself ultimately leads to his suicide.

As I stated earlier, Quentin Compson is obsessed with Caddy. However, his other brother, Jason, is obsessed with as well. However, each brother's attention towards Caddy is rooted in differing motivations. Quentin is obsessed with Caddy in a concerned, almost loving way. He despises her promiscuity out of concern for her, as he holds the ideal Southern woman to be above the natural desire of sex. His judgements may be harsh, but he wants for Caddy what he perceives to be the best for her. Jason, on the other hand, bases his obsession with Caddy on malice. Since his childhood, Jason is ruthless. He is constantly looking to tell on people. This hatred to those around him is focused primarily on Caddy. This moves past being selfish, and more into being malicious. Overall, the main difference between the two brother's judgements and obsessions with Caddy is Quentin's is based out of concern while Jason's is guided by hatred.

"When I was little there was a picture in one of our books, a dark place into which a single weak ray of light came slanting upon two faces lifted a queen or fairy she was always a king or a giant or a general  I'd break that place open and drag them out and I'd whip them good   It was torn out, jagged out. I was glad. I'd have to turn back to it until the dungeon was Mother herself."

In this passage, Quentin is reflecting on a particular page of a children's book that became relevant to his life, in the form of his mother. In this passage Quentin views himself as the stalwart protector of correct moral values. He believes he needs to be the one to discipline his family. This passage is mainly concerned with his mother. As the family she grew up in is viewed as less prominent than her husband's, Quentin has less respect for her. By referring to her as the prison described in the children's book, Quentin feels she is causing the downfall of the family, morally at least. This passage is also nostalgic. He again is stuck in the past, this time in a childhood memory. During his formative years, Quentin developed a specific moral compass, basing his beliefs on traditional Southern aristocratic values, such as respect, honor, and purity. He feels an obligation to push these values onto those around him, especially his family.

In the Compson family, Benjy is generally seen as a burden. As he is developmentally stunted, he requires a lot of care and supervision. As a result, his humanity, except for by Caddy, is often overlooked by the members of the family. Benjy, as a result of his stunted development, is severely limited in his ability to say or think about emotions. To him, the world is generally physical, causing most of his narration to be purely sensory details, or in other words, exactly what he is experiencing. Benjy's description of events is untainted by emotions, leaving no room for bias, making him an accurate narrator. This allows him to accurately describe the turmoil of the Compson family, one of the other members would never say explicitly.

Another characteristic of Benjy is his need for consistency. When something changes, he usually bursts out in tears. This is because Benjy is reliant on the family members around him. When something changes, or the family descends into turmoil, Benjy is left scared and unsure of what to do. While seemingly just a character trait of Benjy, Faulkner may have intended this to be a symbol for the family unit and the South at large. Often times, families get caught up in tradition and resist change, just like Benjy. However, more specifically is the region of the South. This region obviously hosted the slave trade. Along with this was the southern chivalrous culture that came from rich plantation owners. When slavery was abolished and the South defeated in the Civil War, many Southerners were unable to fully let go of the rebellious heritage of the South.

Benjy absolutely plays a symbolic role in the novel. Because of his unique ability to sense  chaos or disturbance in the family, Benjy is the most perceptive and unbiased character in the book. However he is unable to speak up about this turmoil as his cries are always written off as "blubbering" and he is told to "hush." Benjy represents those in the South who were silenced by Southern aristocracy, which is represented by the Compson family at large.

The most striking thing about William Faulkner's The Sound and Fury so far have been the time changes sporadically placed in the first chapter. It made the writing difficult to follow. However, this contributed to the work in a way that could not be put into words. Instead of using imagery, tone, et cetera, Faulkner uses the stream of consciousness of the narrator to speak volumes about his narrator, Benjy. It also forces the reader to pay more attention to the drama in the story.