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.
It was interesting to consider your take on Dilsey. I think it was much more effective for Fualkner to place her in the third person, where her actions and thoughts can be accurately viewed from afar, instead of picking up on her tone. We can analyze her from a distance, opposed to the other chapters, which include a thoroughly plotted tone by Faulkner. The straightforward aspect of this chapter also hit home for me as well. Faulkner resolves his story, more or less, by presenting situations in a straightforward manor, in contrast to the previous chapters that required close examination.
ReplyDeleteAngelina, I really enjoyed your last paragraph! Your clear ideas make a lot of sense to me and I especially liked your writing in the last line when you used the word "shattered" to describe the Compson family. Your use of detail in this last line nearly perfectly exemplifies the essence of the downfall of the Compson's; shattered, and barely holding on by a thread.
ReplyDeleteAngelina, I found your blog very interesting and accurate. I too even shared some of the same views on this chapter that you did. I felt as if the Compson family was stuck looking back on their old shadow. The one with the money and the power and with members of the family to keep it stable and moving along. As I was reading through your blog I felt like I wasn't just the only one that held a certain view on a matter. Your blog is great!
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