Read about you once in a Faulkner novel Pam Tillis, did you lie to me? Because ever since I heard that lyric in your song Maybe it was Memphis, I felt like I needed to meet that kind of boy.

Well, I decided to give Faulkner a try with one of his books. But woosh! That's literally the sound of this book being thrown over my shoulder and out of my life forever. I know that the whole revolutionary aspect of this book is Faulkner's use of stream consciousness. However, it just didn't work for me. Maybe this wasn't the best book to break my Faulkner virginity.

I am so open to suggestions of what else to try. Because can Pam Tillis be wrong? I really hope there is another Faulkner work that will make me understand and appreciate his writing the way I expected. I'm eager to find that perfect piece that will bring to life the kind of boy I imagined from her lyrics.

It is an incredible novel. In fact, it is one of my favorites. However, it has a difficult and at times tiresome narrative. At least in the beginning. You struggle until you understand what is going on. Faulkner wrote this novel using stream of consciousness. Nevertheless, if you ask me, it will amaze even those who are crazy about stream of consciousness writers like Joyce, Woolf, and Proust. He has so beautifully used stream of consciousness as a tool in his game that it truly messes with your mind in a way you have never experienced before. The theme is again family relationships. The setting is again the American countryside.

This time, our main characters are the "Compsons", that is, the Compson family. Faulkner tells the family's tragedy in four parts, from four different perspectives. The first part is told from Benjy's mouth. Benjy is mentally disabled. We read what goes through his mind in a long section - which I think was the most striking part - and it was also the part where I struggled the most. Because I was a bit confused until I understood who the people were. In the second part, the narrative switches to Quentin, the family's son. The events begin to take on a clearer form, and you also slowly start to live on the Compson's farm. The next part is told from Jason's perspective, the family's youngest son, and in the last part, Dilsey, the family's servant, takes the reins.

When the book ends, you feel tired as if you have just come out of a long marathon, but the joy of getting to know the Compsons and, more importantly, getting out safely from Faulkner's formal labyrinth is worth it all. I definitely recommend it.

"A vida (...) é uma história contada por um idiota, cheia de som e fúria e vazia de significado."
MACBETH - W. SHAKESPEARE

What can be said about a book that practically has no story and whose characters just fall there without introduction or description? We are listeners of four complex minds, hearing their overwhelming memories, full of hate, suffering, jealousy and despair, in an agony that accompanies us from the first to the last page. We try to assemble a puzzle from random thoughts, where the chronological order is absent or confused. We interpret according to our own image, draw conclusions that we cannot prove, because nothing is explicit and the most important thing hides behind the words. We waver between pillars of uncertainty and suspicion, hold on to the little that is evident and try to rationalize in the chaos. It is an inglorious task; one guesses a feeling behind a smell, a pain trapped in a cry, the revolt in a shout, the suffering in a gesture, the loyalty in an affection...

It is a difficult book to read, impossible to understand in its entirety. But what makes it a hellish book is also what makes it an irresistible challenge and, surely, it will become unforgettable for those who dare to venture into this abyss. For the best and for the worst.

I finished it two days ago. At that time, I didn't give it more than 3 stars. I have been turning it over, letting it settle and clarify. The more I think, the more I get confused and the more incredible it seems to me.

Of course I have read this - but it was ages ago! Would what I thought of it then match up with what I think now? I am not so sure! So how do others award stars for books read long ago? I do it by the strength of the memories left by the book. Or I just don't add the book. My memory can sometimes be hazy.

I will reread this in August 2016. Will I give it four stars the second time around?

I am in tears. I wrote a review carefully explaining why I can only give this two three stars after rereading it. Somehow the whole thing got lost. This is my fault. I didn’t save it correctly. I am so annoyed with myself.

****************

Here goes – a second try! I hope this review will help others.

Between completing this book by Faulkner and writing my second review I have read another book - The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. Dilsey in The Sound and the Fury is compared to Miss Jane Pittman in The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman. This comparison is laughable. In both books a strong character is delivered and both are religious, but that is where the comparison ends. More importantly, the two books are completely different. I don’t think one should promote one book through incorrect comparisons to another. Faulkner's creative ability and beautifully descriptive lines are nowhere to be found in Gaines' book!

The following is just an example of the lines that I loved. Here is one describing Dilsey at the black congregational service on Easter Sunday (on the last day in the novel):

As the scutting day passed overhead the dingy windows glowed and faded in ghostly retrograde. A car passed along the road outside, laboring in the sand (and) died away.

Dilsey sat bolt upright, her hand on Benjy’s knee. Two tears slid down her cheeks, in and out of the myriad coruscations of immolation and abnegation and time.

In this book one can understand the the poor and the Blacks’ absolute need for and solace afforded by religion. These lines beautifully draw the relationship between Benjy and Dilsey. Who is Benjy with on this Easter Sunday?

Do you like these?

-Pencils of sun slanted in the trees.

-There was another yellow butterfly like a sun flick had come loose.

-The honeysuckle was in her throat like paint and soap.

-Caddy smelt like trees.

But be careful; some of these lines mean much more than you suspect.

Faulkner draws characters through dialogs and stream of consciousness. Even if I missed much of the significance of what I read I did certainly capture the personality of each character. Stream of consciousness was a new technique at this time and we today fail to be as impressed by its usage as when it first was employed.

In this story Faulkner looks at events on four different days and by four different characters. These compose the four separate parts of the book:

-First Benjy Compson (the youngest son who is mentally retarded) on April 7, 1928,

-then Quentin Compson (Benjy’s older brother) on June 2, 1910,

-then Jason Compton (the oldest son) on April 6, 1928,

-and finally Dilsey (the black housekeeper) on April 8, 1928.

The first three are told from the first person point of view. The last employs the third person omniscient point of view. We are looking at events in the life of a family from different family members. Dilsey is as much a part of this family as any of the others. There are others – Caddy (the sister) and the mother and the father. Each in this family affects the others, but none are seen with the same eyes. How do we judge who they are? Who do we listen to? What is Faulkner saying in designing the story in this manner? Perhaps he means to emphasize that no two people emotionally respond to an event in the same way. A relationship between two people is in fact two different relationships.

So what didn’t I like about this book? What gave me the biggest problem, and why was I so annoyed at its end? Faulkner deliberately confuses the reader. He does this with a vengeance and on purpose. There are time shifts, name changes and even peculiar choices of names which are bound to confuse a reader. After completing the book I went to Wiki. What did I discover? I had totally missed clues and misunderstood some of the events?! There it is stated that the jumps in time sequences were to be designated through the use of italics or code- colored texts. Faulkner also added an appendix that was to be included in all future publications. I listened to the 2003 Books on Tape Recording. Obviously neither italics nor color coded texts could be made visible in an audiobook and there was no additional appendix! At least I was comforted by learning that my confusion is shared by most readers. What is the purpose of deliberately confusing readers? Whatever the reason, it annoyed me a lot. By the end of the novel I was groping for understanding.

Despite my huge annoyance at being so confused, I did appreciate the writing and the in-depth character portrayals. I also have to admire Faulkner for the intricate construction of the novel, that he could make all the parts fit together so well is a marvel.

Another thing I liked was how Faulkner draws Benjy. For me he is the soul of the whole book. I admire Dilsey’s strength and Caddy is important in her very absence, but Benjy I love. No, I love how Faulkner drew Benjy. I don't think you need to have a high IQ to perceive kindness or to understand people's intentions. Benjy’s intuitiveness and perceptive understanding of others is what I liked and that Faulkner chose to draw Benjy in this light.




A word about the audiobook narration by Grover Gardener. This is not an easy book to narrate, given the stream of consciousness, disjointed lines and lack of chronology. Gardener does a good job. Three of the four parts are set in Mississippi, but the second part, the one that goes back to the year 1910 is not set in the South, but outside Cambridge, Massachusetts. In this section it is particularly difficult to distinguish between thought and dialog. To know when the Southern dialect should or should not be employed is here difficult to determine. I was totally thrown in this part. There are so many variables – place, timeframe, person, inner thought or event or dialog! Help! It seemed to me that all was intoned with a Southern dialect.

After further consideration and having compared the two books, I have chosen to give The Sound and the Fury three stars. I do admire Faulkner’s imagination, his creativity and some of the novel’s resonant lines. And Benjy.

The clock ticked away, its sound solemn and profound. It was as if it were the dry pulse of the decaying house itself. After a while, it whirred and cleared its throat, then struck six times.

This sound, like the opening of Beethoven’s Fifth, announced a tale of doom and despair.

The fall of the house of Compson is a story of once-proud community leaders in Jefferson, Mississippi, now reduced to destitution and moral corruption. Faulkner delves into this decadence by exploring the minds of three members of the Compson clan: an idiot, a suicidal youth, and a paranoid, cynical ‘businessman’.

As a coda and conclusion, there is a fourth section narrated by one of the family’s black servants. The style clearly recalls the ‘stream of conscience’ approach pioneered by Proust, Joyce, and Woolf. What sets Faulkner apart from his European counterparts is his choice to follow the thoughts of ordinary characters rather than highly educated intellectuals and artists.

Instead of referencing Classic and Renaissance culture, he delves into the darker side of our psyche, depicting people tormented by inner demons and petty concerns.

The first narrator, Benjy, may be an idiot, but in his unique way of seeing the world and his speechless revolt against fate, he is perhaps the most honest of all the Compsons. His simple needs and frustrated outbursts are a recurring theme throughout the novel, symbolizing the human condition that is doomed to end in death and sorrow.

This is why Faulkner borrowed the title from a Shakespeare play: “Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player / That struts and frets his hour upon the stage / And then is heard no more: it is a tale / Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, / Signifying nothing.”

The second narrator, Quentin, is the smartest scion of the family, sent to Harvard at great cost. His vivid imagination, rich cultural background, and beautiful phrasing make him closer to what one might expect from a stream of conscience protagonist.

However, life has been too hard for him, and he is preparing to end it all. His elegy takes us on a walk through the alleys and parks of the student campus, as he struggles to come to terms with his illicit passion for his sister Caddy, his homosexual inclinations, and the rigid Southern code of honour.

The third narrator, Jason, is articulate and firmly anchored in the life of the town. He is bitter, vengeful, and hateful, willing to do anything to get to the top of the social ladder.

Although he is a despicable person, Faulkner is able to convey his secretive and envious mind, his paranoid and selfish personality.

In the fourth section, the author changes gear and follows Dilsey, the old and loyal family cook, and her nephew Luster, who takes care of Benjy.

Stylistically, Faulkner experiments with the Southern vernacular, spelling, and punctuation, creating a unique and engaging tone.

In an appendix added years after the first publication, many of the questions about the Compson family are answered, but the author uses only two words to describe Luster and Dilsey: “they endured”.

I have only scratched the surface of this novel, and a whole separate review could be written about the women in Jefferson, Mississippi, or about the themes and motifs that run throughout the story.

A re-read is a must for the serious scholar, and this “mausoleum of all hope and desire” truly deserves its place among the best 20th-century novels.

\\n  \\"I'm bad and I'm going to hell, and I don't care. I'd rather be in hell than anywhere where you are.\\"\\n
-William Faulkner

As an English lit student, I once had to grapple with this profound statement. The read was an entirely magnificent, perplexing, and yes, bloody frustrating experience.

William Curmudgeon Faulkner himself described it as his'son-of-a-bitch' piece of work. His innate intransigence seeps into every page of this, his magnum opus.

Faulkner seems to snarl at you, deliberately provoking you and even daring you to hate his book. And there's a good chance you just might. But that's precisely what makes his work so captivating. It forces you to confront your own beliefs and emotions, to question the very nature of good and evil.

Despite the initial frustration, as you delve deeper into his words, you begin to uncover the hidden layers of meaning and the beauty that lies within the chaos. Faulkner's writing is like a wild storm, powerful and unpredictable, yet strangely alluring. It leaves an indelible mark on your mind and heart, making you think and feel long after you've turned the last page.

Okay, here I go with another one of my dissenting viewpoints.

This was my first attempt at reading Faulkner, and I assure you it will be my last.

I really don't understand how this pile of crap ever managed to get published, let alone achieve the status of a classic! It is absolutely unreadable. It's like pure upchuck in print.

The convoluted sentences, the lack of a clear narrative, and the excessive use of flowery language made it a total nightmare to get through.

I found myself constantly losing track of what was going on and struggling to make any sense of it.

Maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough to appreciate Faulkner's writing style, but for me, this book was a complete waste of time.

As always, this is just my opinion, so please don't be offended if you happen to like the book.

Everyone has different tastes when it comes to literature, and that's what makes the world of books so diverse and interesting.

**The Sound and the Fury: A Masterpiece by William Faulkner**

The Sound and the Fury is a remarkable novel penned by the American literary giant, William Faulkner. Published in 1929, it was his fourth novel but didn't achieve immediate success. The book employs various narrative styles, with stream of consciousness being a prominent one.

The first section is narrated by Benjamin "Benjy" Compson, a character who brings shame to the family due to his diminished mental capacity. Only Caddy, his older sister, and Dilsey, a matronly servant, show genuine care for him. Benjy's narrative voice is characterized by nonlinearity, spanning the years 1898 - 1928 and presenting a series of non-chronological events in a stream of consciousness. The use of italics in his section indicates significant shifts in the narrative. Originally, Faulkner intended to use different colored inks to signify chronological breaks.

The characters in the novel include the Compsons, Dilsey Gibson, Quentin Compson III, Jason Compson IV, Caroline Bascomb Compson, Candace "Caddy" Compson, Benjamin "Benjy" Compson, and Miss Quentin Compson. The novel has been published with different titles in Iran, such as "خشم و هیاهو" and "غوغا و خشم". It has been translated by several translators and published by various publishers. The technical and prominent feature of the novel is the use of four perspectives to narrate the downfall of the Compson family. The title "The Sound and the Fury" has a key significance and is in complete harmony with Shakespeare's line in "Macbeth": "Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more. It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

I have always had a special place in my heart for William Faulkner's works. I liked As I Lay Dying and was completely enamored with Light in August. However, The Sound and the Fury had always intimidated me, and I had been afraid to take it on until now.

As it turns out, my fears were unfounded. Once I got into the rhythm of this novel, it simply swept me away. The intertwined narratives of the Compson brothers, with Benjy's sense memories, Quentin's anguished reflections, and Jason's grievances, all revolving around their sister Caddy, have left an indelible mark on my mind.

Reading this novel was an incredibly rich, rewarding, and immersive experience. Faulkner's language and vivid images seemed to leap directly from the page into my heart.

When it came to approaching the novel, I adopted a unique method. For the first section, which is Benjy's, I listened to the audio while following along with the text. Faulkner's language truly comes alive when read aloud, and I highly recommend Grover Gardner's powerful reading. At least, reading it aloud helps one to fully appreciate the beauty of the language.

The first time through Benjy's impressionistic memories, they felt like a jumbled mess. But after listening to Quentin's section and then re-reading Benjy's, it started to make more sense. And after listening to Jason's section and re-reading Benjy's again, the pieces finally fell into a coherent whole. I found that I needed the physical text for the first section, but for the other three sections, I simply loved listening.

In addition, I also watched the entire 4-session Yale lecture series by Professor Wai Chee Dimock. This not only enhanced my understanding of the novel but also gave me valuable insights into the context in which it was written.

The link to the lecture series is https://oyc.yale.edu/american-studies...

I guess that there will be no shame in admitting that this is, so far, the most challenging book I have read. The narration keeps changing not only from person to person but also from time to time. This "Stream of consciousness" style, introduced to me by Aakansha, can truly make you lose your head if you don't follow every word of at least the first two chapters. There will be moments when you just long to see any hint of punctuation, especially in the last few pages of the second chapter, or you might even think that the printing is messed up. However, there is something within it that you need to seek. Even after reading this book, having read the first two chapters twice, you may have little or no clue about the appearances of some of the characters. That's how the author plays.

There are a few things that were initially hard for me to understand. For example, the uncle, niece, and a horse have the same name, and there is no clue as to who is who! This is not a book where the readers are told everything in the beginning or even at the end. It took me close to three chapters to understand who all were in the family and who was who! Nevertheless, once you get the hang of it, it all goes down smoothly, just like the fragrance of honeysuckles slowly diffuses into the damp air on a rainy night.

So, pay attention to one of the greatest books of all time!!!

**********Added later************

Between the lines of confusing words, the paragraphs of punctuation-less sentences, and the pages of unreliable narration, lies the ineffable tragedy of this basic unit of so-called society, also known as a family, which, in this case, is that of the Compsons.

It has been indescribable and confounding how people from the same family can have different opinions or thoughts about something. Is it because of the parents who failed to teach or guide all of their children in the same direction? Or is it because of their indifference towards all or few of their progenies? Keeping these questions aside, this harrowing story is about the fall of the Compson’s family, infused with a mixture of poisonous rivalry, infatuated promiscuity, family-or-society-imposed chivalry, materialistic cynicism, and developmental disability in the forms of the Compson’s children, nonchalantly mixed and manned by their black servants.

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner is widely regarded as his magnum opus. It vividly depicts the tragic and ultimate downfall of the Compson family, introducing us to some of the most influential and unforgettable characters in literature. Set in Jefferson, the book is divided into four sections. The first section is narrated by Benjy, a 33-year-old man with diminished intellectual capacity on his birthday. Benjy's narration is a chaotic stream of consciousness as he has no sense of time, jumbling memories from his life without chronology. Time becomes a central theme. We learn of his passions, such as the golf course that was once the Compson family's and was sold to finance Quentin's Harvard education. But above all, his love and fascination for his sister Caddy stand out.

The next section is told by Quentin, the most intellectually gifted of the Compson family. The theme of time resurfaces as Quentin becomes obsessed with the watch given to him by his father, which was his grandfather's, while wandering the Harvard campus.

The third section is narrated by Jason Compson, revealing more about him, his grievances, and his complex connections and obsessions with his sister Caddy and her child, Miss Quentin. The final section is narrated by the author, showing the aftermath of the family turmoil. We witness Dilsey, the faithful servant and protector of the Compson family, taking her family and Benjy to church for Easter services, leaving us with a glimmer of hope in the spring and on Easter morning.

"Schall und Wahn" is not an easy read. The plot is fragmented by flashbacks, cuts, and inner monologues. In each part, the narrative perspective changes, which makes it a challenging but also a highly engaging experience. Despite this experimental and innovative narrative style, the author manages to captivate the reader with the tragic power of history and language, and maintain the tension throughout the story. Faulkner portrays his protagonists realistically, revealing their character flaws without diminishing their humanity.

Resume: This novel features a dense language and a great atmosphere. It is a unique work of art that showcases Faulkner's creativity at its peak. It is a linguistic treasure that must be read by anyone who appreciates great literature. The complex and fragmented narrative, along with the realistic portrayal of the characters, makes "Schall und Wahn" a truly unforgettable reading experience.