Discuss Faulkner’s use of style in each character’s section of the novel The Sound and the Fury.

Not unlike Benjy, Quentin often finds himself caught up in the past. His section follows immediately after Benjy's, and takes on a more coherent tone. Memories such as the "sassprilluh" at Caddy's wedding and Caddy's muddy drawers that were discussed previously are described from his point of view. Although Quentin is looked upon generally as more 'sane' than Benjy, his section is filled with more triggers into the past and fragmented memories and ideas. This obscure section helps the reader get into the 'obscure' mind of Quentin; filled with the constant question of time.

Throughout this section present day time is never really described, it's more or less noted. On the other hand, the past memories Quentin recalls are described with rich elaborate sentences. Faulkner's sentence structure within this section suggests Quentin lives in the past as much as his everyday life will permit. In the end of this section his death is confirmed as a suicide (due to the Benjy section the reader already knows Quentin dies). Overall Quentin's voice is impassioned and convoluted.

The third Compson brother to tell his story is Jason. His section is utterly different than that of his brothers Benjy and Quentin. All of his recollections are less vivid than the previous Compsons' and Jason's voice is very different too. He has a hurried voice that is nasty and vulgar. A number of Jason's passing comments fill in vague gaps between events that have been mentioned in the preceding sections. For example, Jason notices Benjy going to a dark place on the wall where the mirror used to hang. That explains an action in Benjy's section on page 74.

All of his interest is in the present, however although Jason thinks that he can shuck off the past, he too, is in its grip. He knows the difference between past and present in a way his brothers don't. But the past still colors Jason's priorities and views of the present. He is punitive toward his niece Quentin, nasty to the world, and paranoid about business, because of his feelings about his siblings. He doesn't care much about anything else but money and himself. Faulkner describes Jason as a product of the New South, the new generation, full of bitter selfishness.

The last section of The Sound and the Fury is written clearly, and more or less objectively. However, the point of view stays close to that of Dilsey. In this section she emerges most clearly as the person who holds the family together. Her goodness and strength were mentioned earlier and is described and commended in this section to a greater extent. For that reason, the section is often called the Dilsey's section, even though it is not told in her voice. The section is written in third person, and therefore contains the descriptions of people and places as described in most novels. Here the reader for the first time learns what Dilsey and Benjy look like, what Mrs. Compson is wearing, and that the house's front porch is falling down. It is interesting to note the abrupt change in style Faulkner uses. This is a clever way to integrate his own personal views and opinions of society into his tale of the Compson Family.

Steinbeck has the same kind of ideas as to how and where to add his own thoughts. In his novel East of Eden, he chooses to have inter-chapters as he did in The Grapes of Wrath, however these chapters are solely filled with his thoughts and are in no way apart of the story. Faulkner is able to cleverly combine his story and thoughts into one conclusive section which deals with the overall thematic statements of the redeeming power of love. He is also able to point out his beliefs of where the new generation is going and how we need more Dilseys in the world and less Jasons. Quentins and Benjys are inevitable, however we need strong enduring people that can accept themselves and life at face value.