So I finished Benjy's section a few days ago and after feeling so awesome because by the end I was actually getting the hang of how Faulkner wrote his story I'm scared to start on Quinten's section because it's a whole new thing that I have to figure out. Can I just not and say I did Mr. Andrews? I'm only kidding.
Besides enjoying the fact that I could understand Benjy's section I also really enjoyed it. It was interesting to step inside the mind (or what Faulkner believed to be the mind) of a mentally handicapped person. I was getting so into it that through Banjy's eyes even I was mesmerized by the fire and the smell of trees. I only have a few questions (hopefully I don't sound like an idiot for asking them): One, what is Benjy's deal with fire and the smell of trees when he sees Caddy or the repetition of how Jason always has his hands in his pockets? Are these maybe traits that connects to the person he relates them too? I know these might be answered later on in the book but I wanted to make sure I didn't miss anything. Two, did I understand correctly that the family changed Benjy's name from Maury? If so why would they do it? It seemed at one point that they just gave him to their servants and basically treated him like a pet or something. The mother always complains whenever Benjy makes a lot of noise and her solution was just to send him outside which is what one would say about an annoying puppy or something. I don't know these were just my thoughts, they might be completely wrong.
Hopefully soon I will gain enough courage to start reading Quinten's section. If anyone has answers to my questions please let me know :)
If you are talking about little Jason rather than Papa Jason, then I think him having his hands in his pocket is a sign of what kind of person he is. He holds onto what he has, even if it isn't his, and (I think) he later becomes more successful (loosely used) than the other siblings.
ReplyDeleteI'm positive they changed Benjy's name from Maury to Benjamin (It was either his mother or someone else who decided this and I can't really remember why). Maury was their uncle... I think.
That's a good idea about Jason and his hands and yes I did think it was weird that he was named the same as his uncle. I guess we'll just figure out why they changed the name later on.
ReplyDeleteIs this where I invoke the old "It gets better" meme?
ReplyDeleteYou're picking up on good details here--fire, trees. Yes. Maury is changed to Benjy (at age 5)--that "Why?" is tied into some of the themes of the novel. There's the allusion that Quentin makes (I believe he picks the name, if my memory serves) to Benjamin that's important, and then the relationship that Caroline and Jason (Father) Compson have to Uncle Maury that's important, too.
Jason's hands is definitely a character foreshadowing--we'll get to Jason's narration next week, but he's (significantly) a banker, and controls the family finances once their father dies.