Literary Devices in The Sound and the Fury
Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
There’s an old saying that goes something like this: "The South never dies." (There’s another saying that goes something like "The South shall rise again." Faulkner sure seems to disagr...
Setting
We have to be honest here: we’re not quite sure where to begin with this one. The setting of The Sound and the Fury is arguably one of the most important aspects of the novel. It’s not...
Narrator Point of View
As you’ve probably noticed by now, The Sound and the Fury is actually a four-part novel. Unlike other four-part novels, however, it’s also got four different narrators: Benjy, Quentin,...
Genre
The Sound and the Fury is a great big stewing mix of family problems, rage, family problems, hurt, family problems, anger, and family problems. In other words, there’s a lot of family. And th...
Tone
Wait a second, that’s not a description!You’re right. But give us just a second to explain, anyway. See, Faulkner’s a tonal chameleon. Or a total chameleon. Either way, really. He...
Writing Style
Check out what Ernest Hemingway had to say about Faulkner in our "Brain Snacks" section. Actually, wait – it’s so good, we’ll just give you a quick summary: "Poor Faulkner. Does h...
What’s Up With the Title?
We’ve got to hand it to Faulkner: the guy draws from only the best sources. Need a title? Might as well turn to the greatest author in the English language. (Shakespeare, in case you were won...
What’s Up With the Ending?
Ending? What ending? Were you expecting a "happily ever after"? If so, you sure picked the wrong novel. The Sound and the Fury just ain’t about happiness. Or about ending things, for that mat...
Tough-o-Meter
The going can be a little rough here, thanks in large part to Willy Faulkner's groundbreaking narrative. Multiple perspectives? Check. Stream-of-consciousness monologues? Double check. At times, re...
Plot Analysis
Benjy grieves for the loss of Caddy and his land.OK, we know that The Sound and the Fury has a totally screwy plot structure. In fact, we’re not sure that we can make it fit into a classic pl...
Booker's Seven Basic Plots Analysis
So you wanted a basic plot analysis, huh? Sorry. You’re reading the wrong book, pal. Come on, did you think this was the nineteenth century? Modernists hate easy plots.In case we forgot to me...
Three Act Plot Analysis
Benjy, the mentally handicapped son of the Compson family, passes his time remembering his childhood and the moments he spent with his sister Caddy, who’s now gone.Eighteen years earlier, Que...
Trivia
Faulkner’s a lover, not a fighter. William Faulkner spent most of his early years thinking that he was a poet. Unfortunately, he wasn’t a very good one. We’re glad that he turned...
Steaminess Rating
For a novel that revolves around sex, The Sound and the Fury just doesn’t have a lot to see. Sure, there’s some discussion of people’s sex lives: Jason’s got a prostitute in...
Allusions
William Butler Yeats, "Leda and the Swan" (2.882)The Bible (2.905, 2.2, 2.10)Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (2.103)Sir Walter Scott, "Lochinvar" (1.83)Black Tuesday (3.title)