Neglected

Last week, I wrote a blog on my favorite character from William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury. However, after reading the Jason section, I’m not sure if I agree with last week’s entry. Now I’m not saying that Jason is a likeable character, I just think that his actions are sometimes misunderstood. His bitterness towards his family is a result of being neglected during childhood, his feelings of superiority are intensified by the fact that he is the only male figure left, and his supercilious comments are a result of the sacrifices he was forced to make to support his mother.

Although his mother did like him more than her other children, she compliments him out of guilt. Jason was never able to build a career of his own choosing, and to this day it bothers him. He says things such as, “I says no I never had university advantages because at Harvard they teach you how to go for a swim at night without knowing how to swim…” (196). Perhaps it was not Jason’s dream to go to Harvard, but that doesn’t mean that he is still not upset that he never had the opportunity. Jason even mentions that he himself had to give away some things in order to send Quentin and that, “At least I never heard of him offering to sell anything to send me to Harvard” (197).

Quentin was the smart, troubled child. He always studied, went to Harvard, and took his own life when it became unbearable. Caddy was promiscuous. She had multiple affairs, shamed the family, and was thrown out by her husband. Benjy was the baby. And finally, Jason is the vindictive, isolated child. There isn’t much to say about Jason, because we don’t learn anything about his character until his section. Now that he is the only child left (with the exception of Benjy), Jason has a responsibility to his mother. Jason, very aware that this family depends on his income, soaks in all the compliments his mother gives him. She is always saying things like, “You are my only hope…Every night I thank God for you” (200). After hearing praises about the other children for so many years, Jason enjoys being in the spotlight. Because of the way he was neglected by his father in the past, he believes he is justified to act any way he desires in the present.

Jason’s character is hard to understand because we are not sure whether his controlling behavior is situational or if he simply likes taking advantage of others. The latter is more evident when Caddy comes to him at their father’s funeral, begging to see her daughter. The conversation between Caddy and Jason shows Jason’s constant need to overpower people:
“Jason,” she says, looking at the grave, “if you fix it so I can see her a minute I’ll give you fifty dollars.”
“You haven’t got fifty dollars,” I says.
“Will you?” she says, not looking at me.
“Let’s see it,” I says. “I dont believe you’ve got fifty dollars” (203).
Jason behaves similarly when he receives two free tickets to the show Luster desperately wants to go to. Luster begs him for one, but because he has no money to pay for the ticket, Jason burns it before his eyes.

Jason is not a kind character. He seems to have no love for others, he takes advantage of those that do love him, and he is constantly dwelling upon the past. However, there is much more to him than his cold exterior. Behind his rude remarks and indifference for others lies a lonely, depressed person (606).