Chapter One Update: April Seventh, 1928

Faulkner certainly has a way of making his reader think... And by think, I mean sit in utter despair as I try to piece together all the events spread about in time and in text. My teacher warned that first the chapter would be an iffy one, but man, I didn't expect this. Don't get me wrong,  it's fabulous writing, story telling, and set up, but it's new, very new. I've never really read a book in this format--It'll be one for the books! (Get it?!)

Anyways, moving on to the substance. This first chapter titled solely, April Seventh, 1928, is told from the perspective of Benjamin, more commonly known as Benjy. Now, Benjy is no ordinary lad of "three years old for thirty years." He is mentally handicapped, which personally, makes him all the better. From the get go, it is obvious he is a very genuine young man (think Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird). He dishes out kindness and love, but unfortunately its not reciprocated towards him.

We meet also his sister, Caddy. What we are continually told by Benjy, is that "she smelled like trees". Now at first it seems like a rather odd description, but it is not only a scent.. its a symbol. You may be thinking, a symbol?! How is a scent a symbol?? And I honestly cannot give you a clear answer, having only read the first chapter. However, what I've deciphered so far is that it, in a sense, its innocence. We read later that after Caddy kisses a boy (much more scandalous at the time), she no longer smells like trees, i.e she has lost her innocence. I think also a key point made in this first introduction to the story is Benjy and Caddy's companionship. I wouldn't exactly call it a symbiotic relationship, due to the fact that Benjy is rather dependent on her. For example, in an earlier scene, we see them at a lake. Caddy makes the observation that it is frozen, and she holds up a piece of ice in order for Benjy to comprehend how cold it is. Without Caddy there is now ice, just cold, cold bright shapes.

You may also be asking yourself, Fran, why were you sitting in utter despair after reading chapter one? Well.. when I said the chapter was written via Benjy's perspective, I do not just mean his present time perspective, I mean also in the past and the farther past, and the farthest past. Clearly, he likes to live in the past, and honestly, after meeting the rest of his family member, I would too!! Well that's all I got for now, see you next chapter!