I’ll be discussing what makes Shreve’s narration and character unique and slightly deviant from the rest, focusing on Chapter 6 / 7 (For some reason thought chapter 7 was today’s reading!).

Although Shreve’s narration seems like a diversion at first, as it unravels one begins to realize that his constant questioning and interest in Quentin’s Southern background is heavily guided by the kind of romanticism that the rest of the novel’s narrators have already expressed. As Shreve is Canadian, he seems to come from a somewhat objective perspective, albeit one disordered by not only Southern but generally American stereotypes, as well as his individual, almost child-like fascination with Quentin’s background. Shreve is an unreliable narrator, but at this point in the novel, it seems that there is no such thing as a wholly reliable narrator in Faulkner’s world. In listening to and contributing to Quentin’s stories, one also gets the feeling that the whole act is a chance for Shreve to conduct what’s almost a sort of mystery solving. He uses a lot of simplistic terms that allude to his position as a novice of Southern histories, such as “Rebel army”, “General Lee”, that although have some relevance to the story, remind me of the kinds of obvious historical facts a primary kid could spout. Shreve also seems to become Bon’s equal in a certain way, as when he begins to figure Quentin’s story from his perspective, he ultimately gives Bon a voice. He states,

“Because your old man was wrong here, too! He said it
was Bon who was wounded, but it wasn’t. Because who told him? Who told Sutpen, or your grandfather either, which of them it was who was hit?”

This connection is both interesting and multilayered, as it’s hard to tell if Shreve genuinely thinks Bon is innocent or if this claim comes out of a sort of natural kinship he feels towards him. Similarly, both Shreve and Bon are outsiders in the Southern world, and both interestingly find themselves thrown into this hectic conflict through academic means. As a result Shreve very much becomes the ideal portrayer of Bon’s story. However, as Shreve begins to root for Bon and bring his “story” to life, a lot of it is entirely fictive and merely him filling in bank space. He becomes a determined Bon defender, but much of his claims are rooted out of his own bias, which is interesting when you think about the fact that he’s supposed to be a detached narrator. Shreve’s narration is a fitting complement to Quentin’s story, as where Quentin typically simply reiterates the facts, Shreve’s recitations are imaginative and inventive. Therefore, Shreve’s relationship to the “content” of the novel’s narrative is one of both unique objectivity and pathos. Because he’s an outsider and because of his self-insertion, Shreve is able to decipher Bon’s story more successfully than any other character in the novel thus far.