The last chapter in The Sound and the Fury had to do with fate. Everything that happened at the end needed to happen in order for justice to be established. As we discussed in class on Wednesday, the Compson family is ending, and it is ending in shame. Jason, the last Compson of the family, is a disgrace to his entire family and everyone knows that but no one can truly stop him. He is so evil that even his mother does everything she can to keep him happy. However, both Miss Quentin and Dilsey see that it is not right for him to be treated with such respect because he neither deserves it nor demonstrates it towards others. That is why Miss Quentin runs away and why Dilsey says “I’ve seed de first en de last…I seed de beginnin, en now I sees de endin,” (Faulkner 297) while she walks home crying from church. Both women realize that the Compson family is being destroyed and they are going to get all they deserve.
As the novel ended, fate came into play. Jason and Mrs. Compson had to be the only remaining people, besides Benjy, in the Compson home because they were the only two that could live with each other. They are the “Bascombs” of the family and so they will be together and miserable until the end. Miss Quentin, like Caddy, needed to escape from the Compson family because she was not like them. She wanted to be free and happy and she only found that happiness with a man. In that time, it was uncommon for women to live on their own, therefore she needed to give up some of her freedom and give herself to another man (after Jason) in order to be happy. Benjy could not escape his family. He would forever be with his unloving family with the only care from Dilsey and Luster. Dilsey will remain with the Compsons till the end. As she said, she saw their beginning and will be there to see their ending.
The last evidence of fate is the money. Miss Quentin deserved that money to begin with and that is why in the end, she had her way. Although she did not retrieve all of her lost money, she did retrieve a decent amount and was able to keep it for herself. Jason believed he had everything under control, but just as Macbeth lost control through his thirst for power, so did Jason. He became so blind-sighted by his control that he did not see his family slowly dissolving. In the end, everything was as it should have been; those people who were evil remained unhappy and those who deserved happiness and justice finally received it.
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I agree. Justice was served at the end of this story. Jason had been a cancer throughout the entire novel spoiling everything he touched. Even Mrs. Compson had been rather annoying with her constant nagging at everyone. Their fate seems justifiable. They have been left by themselves, and penniless. As for Dilsey and her family, they will soon be free of the Compson's and their ungratefulness. I believe the only one who was unfortunate in this story was Benjy. He obviously cannot get himself out of the situation he has been left in. However, I think it is safe to say he will be taken care of by Dilsey.
ReplyDeleteEven though the Compson line has ended some of their characteristics will be carried on by Caddy, Miss Quentin, and even Benjy such as, intelligence, stubbornness, and progressive thinking. The real family line that is gone is the Bascomb's. This, in its self, is a good thing after all there were not many good qualities to the Bascomb's.
The last two chapters are clearer and easier to understand. All that confused the readers in the first two chapters are answered by the remaining characters. I agree that everything and everyone is arranged by fate at the end of the novel. Miss Quentin runs away and gains love, money and freedom. She is a lucky girl comparing with her mother Caddy. Jason gets the serious punishment, which he deserves. He can never occupy the money that is not belonged to him. Benjy is the most miserable one in the Compson’s family. Miss Quentin and Jason are impossible to take care of him. Dilsey and her children are not able to look after him forever. As a bystander, Dilsey witnesses how the Compson family go downhill. So her chapter is at the end of the whole novel.
ReplyDeleteAlthough fate played a significant role in the last chapter of William Faulkner’s “Sound and Fury,” I find it incredibly heartbreaking that Dilsey is yet to be free from caring for others, despite her age and health ailments. Ironically, there is a substantial possibility that Benjy will outlive Dilsey. As a result, if Luster becomes tired of or dies before him, Benjy may still have to reside in Jackson. In addition, although I am glad that she retrieved the money that she so rightfully deserved, it is devastating that Miss Quentin never received love and affection from her family members and instead attempts to find that feeling in the men that she sleeps with.
ReplyDeleteIm not sure I agree that justice was served. Yes, Jason, and Mrs. Compson will end in shame and misery together but what of Benjy, Dilsey, Luster, and Caddy. Dilsey the most nurturing of all is left with the pieces of this broken family. Benjy and Luster are as well. They were not truly serving of thier fate. I agree with Danni in a lot of ways. It is devastating that this family was not able to find happiness, peace and most of all love. Life is unfair that way throughout the story.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this was the Compson family’s fate because everything that happened in the end was the inevitable consequences of their previous actions and no one has control over their fate. But justice was definitely not established. Benjy and Dilsey surely did not deserve to stay with such a horrible family but that was their fate, even though we know it was unfair, there was nothing they could do about it.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe that the way the novel ended was fate, and this is mostly because of Benjy and Dilsey's unfortunate situations. They are the two kindest people in the story, and they still end up living with and to some extent depending on Jason and Caroline, the two most miserable people in the novel. Dilsey will probably die while still catering to Mrs. COmpson's every whim, and when that happens Benjy will most likely end up in an institution in Jackson. Caddy and both Quentins made mistakes but they escaped their horrible family, one way or the other. Benjy and Dilsey are almost faultless throughout the novel, but due to circumstances they can't control (Benjy is mentally handicapped and Dilsey is a servant) they will end up being unhappy forever.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Syreeta. Although the family line has ended and Miss Q was able to get her money, the people who were hurting are still hurting. The only person who was able to achieve happiness was Miss Q. Dilsey, Luster and Benjy are still in the same place dealing with their same problems. If anything it may be worse for them now since Jason is preceived as crazy. Also, how will the family support themselves now that Miss Q's checks arent coming in. I personally feel a little bad for the Compson household now,including Dilsey,and Luster, because there is no telling where they will end up.
ReplyDeleteI don't know that the way things ultimately ended up can be attributed to fate. Families end, times change, the world moves on. It isn't a matter of fate, just the natural order of things. I feel like I'm missing out on something important in understanding Faulkner, because I don't know the time period or culture in which he writes.
ReplyDeleteThe way the story ended was sad, yes, but it was bound to happen in some way. We have all agreed that Miss Q is just like her mother, and because of that she left--just like her mother. Yes Dilsey and Luster are going to be left behind to take care of Benjy, but to tell you the truth I don't it matters to them. Even when they were all being so terrible to her, Dilsey still loved every single one of the Compson children, and I'm sure Benjy showed some affection toward her. And yes they won't have the money coming in, but who knows what could happen with that. -Amanda
ReplyDeleteI agree with the fact that the Bascomb line is coming to an end, and it is a rightly deserved end to that family line. However I do not agree whether or not I would call it fate, but rather a destruction or regression of an era, and the rebirth of a new age. Or like Mr. Quenting might say, the fall of the old south. With the fall of Jason, and the Bascomb name, marks the end of an era. An era of big, grand families where strong morals and values thrived (showen through Quentin's behavior). However now, that this end has arrived, it is time for a new generation, such as the one demonstrated by Caddy and Miss Quentin, where promiscutiy thrives, and greed and a lack of gentlemanly qualities have disappeared (shown through Jason). Now that Jason and his mother have gotten what they deserved, there is a hint at a resurrection, perhaps of the Compson family, or of the south in general. This is hinted at the evil burning away, and only leaving the good (Benjy and Dilsey). When Benjy calms down at the end of the story upon his view of the house is all pieved together and is in place as he is accostumed to could simbolize a new rise in the Compsons.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Jason is the end of the Compson family, and that it is a shame that it has to end, let alone, with him. I also feel that the infamous saying, misery needs company, goes hand in hand with Jasona and his relationships with the other characters in the story. I feel that it is his fate to be miserable because of the way that he treats everyone around him. I also feel that because he is so miserable, he cannot stand to see anyone else having a good time or being happy. I feel that is the reason why he is so hard on Quentin. I think that he sees that she is doing all that she can to enjoy herself, and he feels like he should ruin it because he is not only not a part of her fun, but also because he thinks no one should be happy except him. In conclusion, I feel that Jason rightfully deserves his miserable fate.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the last chapter of the novel was an expression of fate and an illustration in words of how each character was viewed through the eyes of others. The Compson household slowly disintegrates into sadness and dispair along with the economic status of the Unites States in that time period. Each character possesed their own traits in which they become something inevitable. Jason plays a major role in this last section and so does Dilsey because they are the two leaders of the household. They do not get along and it is for that very reason that they both begin to unravel by the ending of the novel. Dilsey Gibson was the glue that kept this generation of Compson's together and she was deeply saddened to witness them in both their days of grandiosity which eventually led to their state of need. The family was a direct parallel to that of the impending Great Depression and Benjy silently witnessed it all. Benjy was a character of both depth and meaning and it is for that very purpose that he survived throughout the entire novel because his silence spoke louder than any of the characters themselves. His story wasn't beautiful and niether was the state in which the family was living.
ReplyDeleteI totally can see the comparison between Macbeth and "Sound and Fury". The two charcters were selfich and mean and they got just what they deserved in the end. Their fate was already planned for them.
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