A notable element in Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury is that of order and chaos as perceived in each part by their narrators. We see with each narration how these characters make sense of the world around them. In the case of the Compson brothers, their individual sense of order and chaos ultimately fails them. Yet, out of all the four parts that constitute TSAF, the only person who seemingly endures throughout the novel is Dilsey. Dilsey’s sense of order is the only one which is not deterred by the downfalls around her.
Benjy’s sense of order and chaos is perhaps quite evident through his physical sensations. Due to his psychological limitations, Benjy’s expressions are limited to that of whimpering and wailing. Most of the time that we see him crying, it reflects his view of chaotic imbalance and it is often the result of something being awry or out of his perception of order. Perhaps an important part which most clearly indicates Benjy’s ideas of order and disorder is in Dilsey’s part, where Luster takes him on a Surrey ride. Dilsey wants to ensure that he’ll take Benjy on his usual route, “Up de street, round de square, to de graveyard, den straight back home” (318). But the very second that Luster turns left instead of the usual way we see his horrifying reaction, “Then he bellowed. Bellow on bellow, his voice mounted, with scarce interval for breath. There was more astonishment in it, it was horror; shock; agony eyeless, tongueless; just sound” (320). However, the instant that Luster returns to the usual course, “…at once Ben hushed” (320-321). His silence attributed to, “…post and tree, window and doorway and signboard each in its ordered place” (321) This strong scene is highly reflective of his notions of order and chaos, anything that deviates from his physical sensations or the patterns surrounding his memories is chaos to him. This fails him, because he is incapable of moving past his past. In the end his demeanor is that of agony and utter numbness, “…his eyes were empty” (321).
Quentin’s sense of order and disorder relies on his idea of proper Southerness. The Southern code of conduct is order to him. It is also something he cannot let go of or escape, the end result being his death. This is mainly reflected in his obsession with time and his deep desire to restore Caddy’s virginity. Like the instance where he pictures himself as Dalton Ames’ mother, for the sole purpose of preventing him from ever existing at all to prevent Caddy from losing her virginity to him. He even goes so far as to say, “I have committed incest I said Father it was I it was not Dalton Ames” (79). This false admittance of incest is quite interesting, as if this occurance would absolve Caddy of her intolerable promiscuity. Linked to the notion of pure bloodedness, or perhaps it’s attached to the end of his section where he imagines both of them dead together in hellfire. There are also many instances in which he finds himself in physical altercations with other men such as Gerald Bland and Herbert Head to defend women and their honor. Despite his efforts he fails each time to make order of disorder, and the unbearability of it all leads to his suicide.
Jason’s entire world revolves around his selfishness, he cares for no one but himself and his version of order is bound to personal gain and manipulation of others. His attitude is reflected when he states, “I dont owe anything to anybody that has no more consideration for me” (241). He cynically manipulates the people around him, creating an elaborate plan to cheat his niece out of money, in doing so he is content and enabled to play the stocks (he also brought his car in this manner as well). This monetary gain makes him feel empowered and in control, despite his constant self pity. In the last part of the novel, we see Jason angrily unravel and his world turned to chaos when his niece steals his money. His attitude and demeanor noted as being, “…the violent cumulation of his self justification and his outrage” (303). He also loses his sense of order when he is unable to manipulate the sheriff into doing his bidding. In the end he doesn’t recover the money and he goes back home filled with anger.
Dilsey’s character is one who rolls with the punches day to day. No matter the time frame or the narrator, her values and attitude remain unchanged throughout the novel even with the Compson family’s demise. Her sense of order is seen in the homely duties she performs, the way that she treats family, Compson and her own, even her narration is indicative. While Benjy’s and Quentin’s narration are steeped in the past and the present, and Jason’s mainly in the present with some bitterness from the past, Dilsey’s is strictly honed onto the present. Her motherly conduct is seen when she holds Benjy to calm him down, “Dilsey led Ben to the bed and drew him down beside her and she held him, rocking back and forth” (316). She also defends Benjy while attending Sunday service, “Tell um de good Lawd dont keer whether he bright er not. Dont nobody but white trash keer dat” (290). Being that Dilsey’s perspective is the last in the novel, it leaves the reader with a sense of relief, with its linear narration, especially after the tumultuous depressing narrations of the first three parts. Whether we read Benjy’s, Quentin’s, or Jason’s parts the only stability found in the entire novel is Dilsey in which there is no chaos, only order and motherly love.
