A Sister's Love

William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury may be the most confusing novel I have ever read. Its lack of transitions, missing punctuations, and fluctuations between the present and the past all have a way of frustrating me. Yet, I cannot seem to stay away. Faulkner’s intertwining of memories into current situations draws the reader in. Though the way the novel is written seems to be of most interest, I find the characters equally intriguing. Caddy, the loving sister, is constantly suffering moral dilemmas. Quentin, the confused older brother, is desperately in love with his sister. And my favorite, Benjy, the baby of the family, whose actions speak louder than his words. Benjy is the most interesting character in the novel because he is the most difficult to understand. Because he cannot speak for himself, he must rely on his family to understand his needs. All of Benjy’s memories, whether good or bad, are centered around Caddy because she cares for him despite his inability to verbalize his thoughts.

Benjy’s desire for Caddy’s attention is not because he is a needy person; rather, it is due to his undying concern of losing her love. Usually, when he cries, he does it because he knows it will attract her attention. Benjy’s sadness is justified—Caddy is the only person who treats him with respect. Luster is always telling him to, “ shut up that moaning and slobbering” (9). In contrast, Caddy tries to figure out why Benjy is crying instead of trying to shut him up, “‘Why, Benjy.’ She said. ‘You musn’t cry. Caddy’s not going away” (42).

Benjy’s deep love for Caddy often reminds him of times when he felt that her attention from him was slipping away; however, he is unable to come to terms with her need to live her own life. Their relationship ultimately drifts when Caddy reaches a stage in her life when she realizes that she has other obligations. The reader first sees evidence of their drifting relationship when Caddy is kissing Charlie. Though she promises Benjy that she, “wont anymore, ever. Benjy” (48), it is a promise that she cannot keep. Caddy ultimately ends up leaving Benjy to get married. Even though she has gone off and married, Benjy is incapable of comprehending such a thing. He continues to go to the gate and wait for Caddy to come home from school. When she has done something wrong, he can always sense it. According to Roskus, “‘He know lot more than folks thinks’” (31). For example, the night that Caddy loses her virginity, Benjy is determined to have her undo her action, “She opened the door to her room, but I pulled at her dress and we went to the bathroom and she stood against the door, looking at me. Then she put her arm across her face and I pushed at her, crying” (69).

Caddy’s love leaves an undying impression on Benjy. Even when he is thirty-three years old, his mind is still full of thoughts of her. He is still brought to tears when he hears her name, and he still thinks that she will one day return to him (529).