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The sound and the fury Compson
Discuss the major theme of the novel the sound and the fury
Discuss the major theme of the novel the sound and the fury
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The Sound and the Fury: Noblesse Oblige
William Faulkner wrote The Sound and the Fury with many underlying themes. The most prominent theme in my opinion is noblesse oblige. Faulkner expresses The Compson’s noblesse oblige as they respond to a tragedy that affects each character in a unique way. Catherine, Jason, Quentin, and even Benjy executes a “responsibility to protect” their daughter and sister Caddy throughout the entire novel, protecting the noblesse oblige held by this family.
Noblesse oblige is defined as “the moral obligation of the rich or highborn to display honorable and generous conduct”. (The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language) John D. Rockefeller, Jr. describes noblesse oblige in the quote, “We must instill a sense of duty in our children. Every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity an obligation; every possession a duty.” (The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language) A single member of a family or the entire family may feel some need to display honorable and generous conduct based on their last name. In this case, there are three main defenders of noblesse oblige in the Compson family. According to the appendix of The Sound and the Fury, the Compson family held a place of high status in Jefferson Mississippi. They owned a plot of land that encompassed one square mile which included a grand house known as the Governor’s Mansion. Over time, the Compson name no longer held such a status. As this status slipped away from the family, the family continued to live with a sense of noblesse oblige. This responsibility, opportunity, and duty was magnified when the family is faced with a tragedy that affects the whole family
There are several occasions the Compson’s are cha...
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...egacy that would be “heard no more”.
Faulkner’s “The Sound and the Fury” have many underlying themes. The most prominent theme is noblesse oblige. The need to demonstrate noblesse oblige by Catherine, Jason, and Quentin is what perpetuates this story from the beginning to the end, demonstrating that most often the need is one conjured in the minds of those that embrace the importance of it.
Works Cited
Bellamy, Alex. "The Responsibility to Protect: Added Value or Hot Air." (2005): n. page. Griffith Asia Institute. Web. 16 Nov. 2013.
Faulkner, William. The Sound and the Fury: An Authoritative Text, Backgrounds and Contexts, Criticism. New York: Norton, 1994. Print
Shakespeare, William. Macbeth Act 5, Scene 5. Web. 9 December 2013.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. 4th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000. Web. 16 November 2013.
“And they stand still and watch the potatoes float by, listen to the screaming pigs being killed in a ditch and covered with quicklime, watch the mountains of oranges slop down to a putrefying ooze; and in the eyes of the people there is a failure; and in the eyes of the hungry there is a growing wrath” (Steinbeck 349). John Steinbeck, the author of The Grapes of Wrath, portrays the migrant’s resentment of the California land owners and their way of life and illustrates that the vagrants from Oklahoma are yearning for labor, provisions, and human decency. Similarly in To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee elucidates the concept that people should be treated with inclusive human dignity and be affected by good aspects rather than deleterious behavior. In addition to both novels, “Suffering with Them”, “Evil’s Fate”, and “To Hope” share the same concurrent theme. To Kill a Mockingbird and The Grapes of Wrath and “Suffering with Them”, “Evil’s Fate”, and “To Hope” illustrate a synonymous, thematic message that evil’s inhumanity, during corrupt times, induces a perception of hopefulness for good to conquer immorality.
In The Saga of the Volsungs, a paradoxical notion of the value of life emerges from almost every action that the characters perform. One’s corporeal death is almost of no concern in the sometimes harsh and cruel society of the saga. The importance of honor over almost anything else can explain many of the seemingly contradictory and nonsensical actions of characters in the saga. This obsession with honor constitutes the basis for an honor society—a culture where pain, death, and other earthly concerns fall short in significance to one’s good name and honor. Many of the actions inspired by this fixation with honor seem foolish, but considered within the context of how the culture in the saga views reputations and honor make perfect sense.
Courage, integrity, and truth are three themes taught by the main characters in To Kill A Mockingbird and Mississippi Trial, 1955. The authors wanted readers to understand courage is what’s earned after completing something you thought was impossible. Integrity is shown by teaching readers to be honest, and believe in what you think is fair to others. Finally the authors’ outlined truth by showing you need to have knowledge in other’s actions in order to know the truth about them. Good authors get readers to connect similar personal experiences to the events in the book, and teach moral lessons from them. I have connected these two books to myself, and will continue to think about the themes throughout my life.
Simpson, J. A., and E. S. C. Weiner. The Oxford English dictionary. 2nd ed. Oxford: Clarendon Press; 1989.Print.
16. James Hinkle and Robert McCoy, Reading Faulkner: The Unvanquished. (Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1995), 141.
A key theme in William Faulkner’s novel The Sound and the Fury is the deterioration of the Compson family. May Brown focuses on this theme and explains that Quentin is the best character to relate the story of a family torn apart by” helplessness, perversion, and selfishness.” In his section, there is a paradoxical mixture of order and chaos which portrays the crumbling world that is the core of this novel.
To conclude, in The Unvanquished by William Faulkner, the theme of revenge is amply illustrated. Bayard and Ringo display revenge through Grumby’s shooting, following the old Southern code to avenge Granny’s killing. Likewise, Drusilla joins the Confederate army to take vengeance upon the Yankees, sacrificing all to ensure her fiancé’s honorable death. Finally, Bayard takes revenge upon Redmond for killing his father, Colonel Sartoris. However, Bayard approaches the situation differently by confronting Redmond unarmed. This proves that a necessity for violence when seeking revenge is not necessary, thereby changing the old Southern code. It also proves that violence as a response is not a positive way to approach a situation; it is better to address situations calmly and without anger.
The old saying “The South never dies” appears to be all but accurate in William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury. Each member of the Compson Family is practically a contrary of old southern ideals and beliefs. Caddy’s promiscuity, Benjy’s mental disability, Jason’s vulgar attitude towards his family, Quentin’s crooked obsession with Caddy, Ms. Quentin’s rebellious attitude due to her own upbringing, and Mrs. Compson’s ability to see her children as punishments from God; they all diverge from an idyllic well-ordered Southern family. Mr. Compson was the only member who managed to held on to his Southern Morality for the most part, only straying from the norm after the death of his son, Quentin. Each character in their own way depicts how old Southern ideals of gentility have begun and continue to dissolve.
Ross, Stephen M. "The ‘Loud World’ of Quentin Compson." Ed. Andre Bleikasten. William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury: A Critical Casebook. New York: Garland Pulishing, 1982. 101-114.
We learn the principles of respect for law and justice, for fairness and rules and the need for integrity, honesty and compassion. Harper Lee suggests people can’t stand against the pressures that come along without a commitment to such principles. Learning life lessons through an enforced novel for English we are positively influenced and inspired.
Through Steinbeck’s use of rhetorical devises such as foreshadowing, characterization and symbolism, he is able to covey the cruelty in human nature to the reader. The reality Steinbeck creates in his depression era novel exhibits the cruel nature in all of humanity. Although a tough subject, Steinbeck uses rhetorical devises to create lessons the reader can learn from the cruelty.
Brooks, Cleanth. "William Faulkner: Visions of Good and Evil." Faulkner, New Perspectives. Ed. Richard H. Brodhead. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey : Prentice-Hall, 1983.
The New International Webster's Pocket Dictionary of the English Language. Naples, FL: Trident International, 2002. Print
The Sound and the Fury is a compelling novel written by William Faulkner. It was released in 1929, during an era called the Roaring 20s. This was a time during which literature reflected drastic changes in society, as well as the consumerism that emerged from the invention of the automobile. Faulkner, contrastingly, explores the themes of love and morality in this novel. But most importantly, its message of sorrow and moral decay are incomparable to any other novel. In The Sound and the Fury, through the use of Caddy, William Faulkner is able to portray the theme of misfortune: how each of her three brothers (Benjy, Quentin, and Jason) copes with it, ultimately contributing to how the family has gradually disintegrated over the course of the novel.
To Kill a Mockingbird is an exceptional example of a cherished classic. Leif Enger’s marvelous prose and delivery of Peace Like a River will ensure its place in the hallmarks of classic writings. Just as To Kill a Mockingbird has stayed a long-time staple of the classics, will Peace like a River will become an essential part of American literature.