This chapter narrated by Dilsey was rather interesting and
might I say quite different than the rest of the chapters. For starters the
narration is comprehendible unlike some of the others and it is also
straightforward rather than clumped around and a lot of shifting. Faulkner’s
choice for the place and voices of this chapter could be due to several
different reasons, one I feel strongly about is because with each different
narrative there is a different story and you get a different perspective and
can see the uniqueness each character had. Also the reason I believe Dilsey was
different and in third person is potentially because she was not in her own
little bubble so a third person narration can reflect more than say a first
person. She is usually busy focusing on others than herself which gives us a better
view of everyone else, which also shows she does not need the "I"
voice.
I would say this book has a lot of focus on many things such
as innocence, son, guilt and blame, etc. but a big focus is on the old south
and a yearning for the past of it. The Compson family is so hung-over on their
past life style and finding ways to hold on to it as best as they can. For
example at the end of this last chapter when Luster takes an unfamiliar route
Benjy cannot handle it, everything is almost lost. However, when they turn on
back to a familiar road Benjy is at peace, it is almost like a piece of hope
for the Compson family since everything has been shattered they are simply holding
on to that last thread left.
