The Coincidence Of Form And Consciousness In William Faulkner's The Sound And The Fury

This study undertakes an examination of the narrative form of William Faulkner's novel-The Sound and the Fury. The analysis aims to show how William Faulkner uses the modernist narrative form to create the counterpoint of different consciousness worlds so as to intensify the theme of human nature.The thesis argues that although Faulkner uses substantially the same conventional first-person narratives in the three Compson brothers' sections, each brother's narration is presented in such a way as to suit the psychological makeup of these three strikingly different characters梐 congenital idiot, a suicidal Harvard freshman, and a Mississippi redneck bigot. By analyzing the three Compson monologues and the omniscient narration in Dilsey's section, this study shows that variances and disturbances in narrative voice and in the control of narrative conventions reveal differences among consciousness worlds.The main body of the thesis, constituted by chapters one to four, is preceded by an introduction and followed by a conclusion. Chapter One expounds how Faulkner presents Benjy's idiot mind through sensuous flashbacks. Chapter Two is devoted to the analysis of the retrospections in Quentin's section and argues that his troubled mind is mainly presented through intellectual retrospections. Chapter Three explores how Jason Compson's solipsistic mind is revealed in seemingly dramatic monologue. Chapter Four is dedicated to the analysis of the omniscient point of view in Dilsey's section. Based on previous analysis, in the conclusion, I pointed out that by using different narrative forms Faulkner successfully creates the counterpoint of different consciousness worlds so as to intensify the theme of human nature.