Dilsy: The Lifesaver In A Leaky Boay

In this next chapter, we are introduced to a very strong woman captivated in the body of a frail servant. In the midst of a crumbling family, it is Dilsy the only who manages to stay in one piece. She is the wife of another servant, Roskus, whom we briefly met in a previous chapter. They are the grandparents of Luster, a man we know very well. He is Benjy's caretaker and is really, besides Caddy, the only one who really cares for him.
In the old south it was very common to have servants who raised the kids, rather than the actual mothers. Nowadays many children have nannies, but because their mothers are working women, attempting to bring home some bread. But in the south, there was really no need to hire a servant to take care of you children, but for some strange reason, the "southern belles" of the time felt like it was not their duties as mothers to care for their young ones. Ironic, I know. This being said, it is safe to say that Dilsy has basically raised each and every Compson child.
Dilsy and Roskus' family are the Gibsons. Faulker has created a very strong contrast between the two groups of people. The Compsons don't seem to enjoy each others presence. The matriarchal head, Caroline, though her name means strong, is actually very weak and honestly does not win best mother award. Jason hates everyone in his family who makes him seem "unfitting" in the eyes of society, Quentin was so depressed he committed suicide, and good ol' Caddy is off having an illegitimate baby.. Quit dysfunctional I'd say. The Gibsons, on the other hand, actually seem to enjoy each other and treat each other as a family. They are loving and caring, even to people who are actually quite difficult to tolerate. Granted, they have Dilsy, a much better mother and grandmother. Perhaps this family contrast parallels to the old south and new south, another huge contrast. Faulker uses juxtapositions to embody both sides of the spectrum, and it allows his reader to better understand the good and bad found within a situation.
Its only fitting that Faulkner uses Dilsy's chapter to end his novel. As the Compson family crumbles chapter by chapter, the only one who is able to stay whole and "make it out alive" (metaphorically and literally, R.I.P. Quentin..), is Dilsy.

Jason Compson

After some much needed R&R, basking in Salt Lake's incredibly warm weather this past week-- a.k.a snow storm after snow storm during a so called "Spring Break", I have finished another segment in this time twisting saga. In this chapter, we encounter Jason, another Compson, and not exactly the loveliest fellow.  From the first quote, "Once a bitch always a bitch" we are thrown into a world of resentment, narcissism, and belittlement of woman. All perfect adjectives to describe our dear Jason.

Jason's chapter takes place one day prior to Benjy's, meaning Quentin (the boy) is long gone. In the beginning there is much talk of a "she", no name is mentions until a page or two in. With this, we meet Quentin. You may be asking yourself, didn't Quentin commit suicide? Is there some weird incarnation thing going on? And the answer is yes, elder Quentin did take his life, and no, unfortunately there is no magical incarnation plot twist yet, but it's still early in the novel, so you never know! This Quentin is a generation younger and also a female. She is the ambiguous "she" discussed at the start. I think Faulkner led with the she, in order to not confuse his readers. If he had begun with Quentin followed by the pronoun "she", there would many more confused faces than there already are.

Quentin and Jason don't exactly get along, see, Quentin is your average teenage girl, she likes to get dolled up and go out with the boys and not attend school. This "free-spiritedness" does not exactly mesh well with Jason's bitterness and resentment with life and also his condescendment of women. You could Jason's a bit, or very, bitter about how the land was sold to pay for elder Quentin's tuition, and that he, Quentin, was the "golden-boy", the one hope for the quickly deteriorating Compson clan. But then he decides to commit suicide, in turn letting all the family's sacrifice go to waste.. Personally, I wouldn't be happy camper either.

Jason also has yet another flaw. He is very fixated with what people think of him. This being said, most people do care what others think of them but not to the point where they're embarrassed of their innocent, handicapped brother. Yep, you heard me, if it were up to Jason, poor little Benjy would not have a place in the Compson household. He lets many of his decisions be impacted based on how he thinks that the public around him will react. At some times this may be a good strategy, it keeps him from saying and doing stupid things but it also blinds from what's right under his nose.