Frustnarration (These Titles are Getting Punderful)

There’s no doubt about it— The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner, is a confusing book. Plot twists, unreliable narrators, and grammatical mistakes abound, and the story is not placed in chronological order. It’s almost as if Faulkner was trying to make his novel famous by making it almost impossible to read and fully understand— if no one could read or comprehend it, no one could criticize it, either. Of course that’s not true; however, most readers would agree that it probably just seemed like a good idea at the time. In my opinion, this bizarre and often perplexing style of narration forces the reader to view the events through the eyes of the characters in the story, taking a form of realism to a whole new level.
Benjy’s character is obviously the most pitiable. In the novel, we can see his innermost thoughts and, simple though they may be, can see the both the underlying pain and the love he receives from his sister Caddy. Benjy’s disability also prevents him from thinking certain things; for instance, we only learn of his actions via other’s reactions, he does not punctuate any part of his memory, and inexplicable occurrences (such as the drinking of “sarsaparilla”) can only be derived using context clues and common sense. For instance, we only know when Benjy speaks because others react, like when Luster says: “Shut up that moaning. I cant make them come if they aint coming, can I. If you don’t hush up, mammy aint going to have no birthday cake for you” (4). In fact, the action during the “Benjy portion” of the novel centers around the dialogue surrounding him rather than his own actions. Through a muddled and bewildered viewpoint, the audience understands the toll that the Compson family’s actions have on Benjy. Because of his disability, we are the only ones who can.
Through Quentin’s mind, the reader is finally offered a fully-developed brain’s insights into events. Unfortunately, this brain also happens to be extremely depressed, severely tormented, and rather maniacal. From his obsession with clocks to his fervent (and rather disgusting) fascination with his sister, it is quite apparent that Quentin is not at all a well-balanced young man. Through such a disturbed mind, it becomes shockingly clear that the downfall of this once-prestigious family is having disastrous effects on its members. Quentin’s most shocking trait is obviously his lustful infatuation with his sister; this desire sharply contrasts with the previous section’s demonstration of Benjy’s utter love and dependence.
Using these two characters, Faulkner demonstrates a plethora of emotions. Although the narration style may be frustrating in the extreme, at the end of the day, it serves to cast Caddy as the main impetus for the Compson family’s downfall. As Quentin talks about Death he highlights the damage his sister has caused: “And the good Saint Francis that said Little Sister Death, that never had a sister”(76). Highlighting another type of damage is the fact that Benjy now pines every day at the gate, waiting for his sister to return. She won’t. (544)