Images in the sound

The use of symbols in The Sound and the Fury changes depending on the section and who the narrator is. These symbols and their appearance in their original and other sections is the main focus of my article “The Words of The Sound and the Fury. To start, Benjy’s section talks about light, particularly mentioning the word fire over forty times. The things he can see and not understand, including the shapes he finds in fire and the images he sees in the mirror, fascinate Benjy. Many times he is referenced as staring into the mirror in a way where he seems to be searching for what he has lost. That is why the bright and open things, light and mirrors, intrigue him so. He is looking to understand and explore the well-lit side of life. Quentin, on the other hand, highlights his section with shadows and windows. His life is much darker as he is haunted by his family relationships. He often stares through windows, which serve as outlets out of his life. Through them, Quentin can observe how other people life with normal lives. The next section, Jason’s, features less of any symbolism given the lack of depth in Jason’s personality. The final section also lacks any major images because it is finishing up the story following various characters. However, the images from the first and second section appear in other areas of the novel although not nearly as often. These motifs are important because they each connect to the character’s personality in a unique way that helps the reader to learn more about the Compson family.

The Words of "The Sound and the Fury" Robert A. Martin. The Southern Literary Journal, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Fall, 1999), pp. 46-56. Published by: University of North Carolina Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20078252.