The Value of Family
In “The Sound and The Fury” by William Faulkner, the reader discovers a world that centers on a white upper class family in the early 20th century, within the span of four specific days. Family is essentially the base of the whole novel and Faulkner presents two different families to emphasize that aspect: the Compsons and the Gibsons. Although the Compsons are presented as a high class family, the ideas a family values determines how long a family line will live because being able to adapt to changes is vital to survive.
Faulkner presents the Compsons, the central family of the story, as a dysfunctional white family who are doomed to extinction because of their outdated values. The family consists of: a cynical father, …show more content…
Within this group of people, it is clear why the reader would have no choice but to seek Jason’s point of view, as he’s placed “in open conflict with his present world and his family legacies” (395). In fact, Jason’s overall character essentially is due to the family dynamics, having been ignored most of his life in favor for his other siblings, and thus as he becomes “the head” of the family, he can only copy the father he was named after in order to follow his destined role (Faulkner 169). Thus, by becoming head, he “[inherits], and [accepts] membership in a social order once based upon wealth and class” and is unable to see that this way of living has “degenerated into empty rituals and manners” (397).The concept of family, for the Compsons, is centered around how the head of the family decides everything and as Mrs. Compson puts it “’I realize that when a man works all day he likes to be surrounded by his family at the supper table.’”, and this behaviour explains why in the novel Jason aims to gain control and expects others “to please [him]”, that is …show more content…
By being able to grow up mentally and physically, and during that time period, to have a sane son capable to take over the role of the father, the Gibsons are shown to continue on their lineage while the Compsons face their
In “The Sound and The Fury” by William Faulkner, the reader discovers a world that centers on a white upper class family in the early 20th century, within the span of four specific days. Family is essentially the base of the whole novel and Faulkner presents two different families to emphasize that aspect: the Compsons and the Gibsons. Although the Compsons are presented as a high class family, the ideas a family values determines how long a family line will live because being able to adapt to changes is vital to survive.
Faulkner presents the Compsons, the central family of the story, as a dysfunctional white family who are doomed to extinction because of their outdated values. The family consists of: a cynical father, …show more content…
Within this group of people, it is clear why the reader would have no choice but to seek Jason’s point of view, as he’s placed “in open conflict with his present world and his family legacies” (395). In fact, Jason’s overall character essentially is due to the family dynamics, having been ignored most of his life in favor for his other siblings, and thus as he becomes “the head” of the family, he can only copy the father he was named after in order to follow his destined role (Faulkner 169). Thus, by becoming head, he “[inherits], and [accepts] membership in a social order once based upon wealth and class” and is unable to see that this way of living has “degenerated into empty rituals and manners” (397).The concept of family, for the Compsons, is centered around how the head of the family decides everything and as Mrs. Compson puts it “’I realize that when a man works all day he likes to be surrounded by his family at the supper table.’”, and this behaviour explains why in the novel Jason aims to gain control and expects others “to please [him]”, that is …show more content…
By being able to grow up mentally and physically, and during that time period, to have a sane son capable to take over the role of the father, the Gibsons are shown to continue on their lineage while the Compsons face their