Plot
Exposition
What this stage does: it introduces the people, place, and the basic problem.
In the book: we meet the Compson family in Jefferson, Mississippi (early 1900s). We
learn they used to be proud and rich but are now falling apart. Important people are
Quentin, Caddy, Jason, Benjy, and the faithful servant Dilsey.
Why it matters: the exposition shows us the family’s weak foundations (money, honor,
love). Knowing this helps us understand why small problems turn into disasters later.
Rising Action
What this stage does: it builds the problems and tensions until they reach a breaking
point.
In the book: Caddy’s pregnancy and failed marriage cause shame and chaos. Quentin
becomes obsessed with family honor and slowly falls apart. Jason grows cruel and
steals money meant for Miss Quentin. Benjy, who loves Caddy, gets more confused and
upset.
Why it matters: these events make the family weaker and set up the big turning point
(the climax). They also show each character’s worst traits — pride, anger, selfishness,
or helpless love.
Climax
What this stage does: it is the story’s most intense moment — something changes for
good or bad.
In the book: Miss Quentin (Caddy’s daughter) steals the hidden money Jason hoards
and runs away with a man from a traveling show.
Why it matters: this act breaks Jason’s control and proves the family can’t keep itself
together. It is the moment when the family’s problems explode into action.
Falling Action
What this stage does: it shows what happens right after the climax as things start to
settle.
In the book: Jason tries to get the money back and chase Miss Quentin but fails. The
family loses more control and reputation. Benjy’s confusion and the family’s losses
become clearer.
Why it matters: the falling action makes the consequences real — the family’s collapse
becomes irreversible and painful for the remaining members.
Denouement (Resolution)
What this stage does: it ties up the story and shows the final result.
In the book: Dilsey takes Benjy to church and gives him a calm, steady moment. She
reflects on how she has seen the family from their best to their worst. The Compson line
is effectively finished, but Dilsey’s faith and endurance remain.
Why it matters: the denouement shows the final meaning — the Compsons are ruined
by their pride and failures, yet human endurance (Dilsey) offers a small moral answer or
hope.
Settings
Jefferson, Mississippi – A small fictional Southern town (part of Faulkner’s
“Yoknapatawpha County”) where the Compson family lives.
THEMES
Decline and Decay
The Compson family represents the fall of the Old South — once wealthy and
respected, they are now financially ruined and morally broken.
The house is falling apart, family members are at odds, and their reputation in the
community is gone.
2. Time and Memory
Faulkner uses nonlinear storytelling to show how the past constantly intrudes on the
present.
For Benjy, past and present blend together — his memories of Caddy are as real to him
as current events.
Quentin is trapped in the past, unable to escape memories of Caddy and his obsession
with her purity.
Even Jason, who seems focused on the present, can’t let go of old grudges.
Identity and lose
In The Sound and the Fury, identity and loss are closely connected because the
Compson family’s idea of who they are is based on traditions, relationships, and social
status that are falling apart. They see themselves not only as individuals but also as part
of an old Southern way of life built on honor, family pride, and strict social order. As
these traditions fade, each family member experiences deep personal loss and is forced
to face the difficult question of who they are when the things that once defined them are
gone.
Conflicts
1. Man vs. Self (internal conflict)
Quentin Compson struggles with his own thoughts, guilt, and obsession over his sister
Caddy’s lost virginity. His inability to accept change or let go of the past leads to his
suicide.
Benjy Compson
Doesn’t process time and events like others do, but his sadness and confusion over
Caddy’s absence and the changes in his world create an ongoing inner turmoil.
2. Man vs. Man (personal conflict)
Jason vs. Caddy– Jason despises Caddy for “ruining” the family’s reputation and sees
her as the cause of their financial troubles.
Jason vs. Miss Quentin – Jason treats Caddy’s daughter harshly, controlling her
movements and stealing money intended for her.
3. Man vs. Society (social conflict)
The Compson family vs. societal change– The family struggles with the decline of the
Southern aristocratic way of life, losing both wealth and social status.
Jason Compson IV – April 6, 1928
Jason is bitter, selfish, and materialistic.
His narration is more straightforward but full of anger, showing his cruelty toward his
niece, Miss Quentin, and his resentment toward the whole family.
Third-Person Omniscient (focused on Dilsey) – April 8, 1928
This section shifts to an outside perspective, mainly following Dilsey, the Compsons’
loyal Black servant.
It shows the family’s complete moral and social collapse but also Dilsey’s endurance
and dignity.
Part 3 – Jason’s Narration (April 6, 1928)
Now, let me tell you about Jason. If Quentin’s part was full of sadness, Jason’s is full of
anger and bitterness. He’s the one running the household after his father died, but he’s
not exactly a kind or loving man. He’s obsessed with money, constantly complaining
about his bad luck, and always blaming others for his problems.
Jason takes care of his mother and Caddy’s daughter, Miss Quentin, but “taking care”
really means controlling their lives. He keeps the money Caddy sends for her daughter
and treats Miss Quentin harshly. He sees life as a constant battle, and instead of love,
he meets it with cruelty. By the end of his section, his greed and control push Miss
Quentin to run away—stealing his hidden money in the process. And Jason? Furious, of
course, but too proud to admit he might be the reason she left.
Part 4 – Dilsey’s Narration (April 8, 1928)
Then comes Dilsey’s part—the only one that feels steady, warm, and full of heart. Dilsey
is the Compsons’ loyal Black servant, and she’s been with them through everything,
watching the family fall apart.
In this section, we see the world through her eyes. She takes care of everyone—Benjy,
Jason, the sick Mrs. Compson—even when they don’t thank her. It’s Easter Sunday,
and Dilsey goes to church, where the sermon gives a sense of hope and renewal. While
the Compsons are stuck in their bitterness and decline, Dilsey accepts life’s hardships
with quiet strength. She says, “I’ve seen the first and the last,” meaning she’s witnessed
the family’s rise and now its fall.
The story ends with Benjy’s routine carriage ride. When something disrupts his usual
route, he cries uncontrollably—until they fix it, and the world feels right again. It’s a
bittersweet ending, showing that life goes on, even if the Compsons’ glory days are
gone.
