Wednesday, June 5, 2013

The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner

Faulkner can be a challenging author to read, as he shuns the traditional narrative style and loves to write in "stream of consciousness" style.  I do prefer this book to some of his others.  The book is divided in four parts.  The first part is the most challenging as it jumps around chronologically and isn't a straight narrative.  It is all right, though, because it is being told from the point of view of a mentally challenged character and it feels believable that he wouldn't be completely clear and coherent.  The stream of consciousness style, which I don't usually like, seems to give a better understanding of Benjy's world and mental processes.  There are three more parts to the story that flesh out the story of the Compson family.  The connecting thread between all these parts is Caddy, the older sister.  All of the narrators are very focused on her and her life and her choices, although we never hear from Caddy herself.

This book can be a challenging read, but it is worth the time.  If you want to read Faulkner, this is the book I would recommend.

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