Literary Obsession with Time
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micLiterary Obsession with Time
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micComparative Essay: Obsession with Time in The Sound and the Fury and The
Great Gatsby
In literature, the motif of time often underscores the themes of memory, loss,
and the human condition. William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury and F. Scott
Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby both feature protagonists who are profoundly
obsessed with time. Quentin Compson in The Sound and the Fury and Jay Gatsby
in The Great Gatsby are characters who live in the shadow of their pasts, their
lives defined by an inability to move forward. This comparative essay explores
how their fixation on time shapes their identities and ultimately leads to their
downfall.
Quentin Compson: A Life Frozen in Time
Quentin Compson's obsession with time in The Sound and the Fury is a central
aspect of his character and narrative. Quentin is fixated on the Compson family’s
decline and his sister Caddy’s lost purity. This fixation is symbolized by his
broken watch, which he keeps despite its dysfunction. The watch represents
Quentin's desire to stop time and live in a past where his family’s honor remains
intact. Quentin recalls, "I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire; I give it
to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and
then for a moment and not spend all your breath trying to conquer it." This
indicates his deep-seated inability to reconcile with the present.
Quentin’s preoccupation with time is also evident in his interactions and internal
musings. He frequently recalls events from his past, particularly those involving
Caddy. His obsessive need to preserve Caddy’s purity and the family’s honor
reveals his struggle to cope with the irreversible passage of time. He poignantly
reflects, "I was in time again, hearing the watch." Quentin’s ultimate act of
suicide is his final attempt to escape the present and the relentless march of
time, choosing death as a way to halt the changes that have so profoundly
affected his life.
Jay Gatsby: The Futility of Recapturing the Past
Similarly, Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby is driven by an obsession with the past,
particularly his romantic relationship with Daisy Buchanan. Gatsby’s entire life is
oriented around recreating a perfect moment from five years earlier. His wealth
and grand parties are all means to an end—winning back Daisy. The green light
at the end of Daisy’s dock becomes a powerful symbol of his longing and the
unattainable nature of his dream. Gatsby confidently asserts, "Can’t repeat the
past?…Why of course you can!"
Gatsby’s fixation on the past blinds him to the reality of the present. Despite his
immense wealth and social status, he remains emotionally trapped in his
memories. His belief that he can recreate the past and restore his relationship
with Daisy leads him to ignore the changes that have occurred over time, both in
himself and in Daisy. Gatsby’s dream is revealed to be an illusion, one that
ultimately leads to his tragic demise. His failure to grasp the fluidity of time and
the impossibility of reliving the past underscores the futility of his obsession. Nick
Carraway observes, "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that
year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that’s no matter—
tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our arms farther…. And one fine morning
—"
Comparative Analysis: The Weight of Time
Both Quentin Compson and Jay Gatsby are characters whose lives are defined by
their inability to move beyond the past. However, their obsessions manifest in
different ways. Quentin’s preoccupation is more internal, rooted in a sense of
familial duty and personal honor. His struggle with time is introspective, reflected
in his constant internal dialogue and ultimate self-destruction. In contrast,
Gatsby’s obsession is external, manifested in his lavish lifestyle and relentless
pursuit of Daisy. Gatsby’s dream is a tangible, albeit unattainable, goal that
drives his actions.
Despite these differences, both characters share a tragic fate. Their inability to
reconcile with the passage of time leads to their downfall. Quentin’s suicide and
Gatsby’s murder are both direct results of their temporal fixations. In both
novels, time emerges as an inexorable force, indifferent to human desires and
dreams. Faulkner and Fitzgerald use their protagonists to explore the devastating
effects of living in the past and the inevitable failure that accompanies an
obsession with time.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Quentin Compson and Jay Gatsby are literary embodiments of the
tragic consequences of being obsessed with time. Through their narratives, The
Sound and the Fury and The Great Gatsby offer profound insights into the human
condition and the dangers of clinging to the past. Quentin’s internal struggle and
Gatsby’s external quest both highlight the impossibility of halting time’s
relentless progression. Their stories serve as poignant reminders that time, once
lost, can never be reclaimed, and that the past, no matter how cherished, must
ultimately yield to the present
