The Sound and the Fury

The Sound and the Fury is set in Jefferson, Mississippi, in the first third of the 20th century. The novel centers on the Compson family, former Southern aristocrats who are struggling to deal with the dissolution of their family and its reputation. The novel is separated into four narratives. The first, reflecting events occurring and consequent thoughts and memories on April 7, 1928, is written in the voice and from the perspective of Benjamin "Benjy" Compson, an intellectually disabled 33-year-old man. Benjy's section is characterized by a disjointed narrative style with frequent chronological leaps. The second section, taking place on June 2, 1910, focuses on Quentin Compson, Benjy's older brother, and the events leading up to Quentin's suicide. This section is written in the stream-of-consciousness style and also contains frequent chronological leaps. The third section is set a day before the first on April 6, 1928 and it is written from the point of view of Jason, Quentin's cynical younger brother. The fourth section, set a day after the first on April 8, 1928, introduces a third-person omniscient point of view. It primarily focuses on Dilsey, as she contemplates the thoughts and deeds of everyone in the Compson family.