"The Sound and the Fury" is a complex novel written by William Faulkner, published in 1929. It is known for its innovative narrative technique and its detailed exploration of the Compson family's decline in the American South. The main characters primarily consist of the members of the Compson family, each of which plays a crucial role in the story: 1. **Benjamin "Benjy" Compson**: Benjy is the youngest of the Compson children and has a severe intellectual disability. Faulkner presents the first section of the novel from Benjy's perspective, which is characterized by a disjointed and nonlinear narrative that mirrors his perception of the world. Benjy's memories and sensations flow without regard to time, and his section establishes many of the novel's themes and symbols. His attachment to his sister, Caddy, and his reactions to her absence, plays a significant role in the emotional undercurrents of the novel. 2. **Candace "Caddy" Compson**: Though Caddy is one of the central characters in the novel, she never has her own point-of-view section. Instead, she is portrayed through the thoughts and memories of her brothers. Caddy is independent and has a rebellious spirit, which leads to the loss of her virginity and a subsequent shotgun wedding to avoid the shame of an out-of-wedlock pregnancy. Her actions directly affect the fate and well-being of her brothers, as her fall from grace is a pivotal event in the novel. 3. **Quentin Compson III**: Quentin is the oldest Compson son, and his section is the second in the novel. It takes place on the day of his suicide. Quentin is obsessed with the concepts of time, honor, and the Southern code of chivalry. His inability to cope with Caddy's loss of virginity, combined with his own conflicted feelings for her, leads to his deep despair. Faulkner uses Quentin’s section to delve deep into the psychological complexities of the character and the crumbling ideals of the South. 4. **Jason Compson IV**: The third son and fourth child of the family, Jason is depicted as bitter, selfish, and cynical. His portion of the novel, the third section, takes place after Caddy's fall from grace and her divorce, which drastically affects his life. Jason feels cheated out of a job that Caddy's ex-husband had promised him, leading to resentment towards Caddy and her daughter, Miss Quentin. Jason's section illustrates the practical decay of the family's fortune and his exploitation of others, particularly his manipulative control over Caddy's daughter and theft of Caddy's financial support for Miss Quentin. 5. **Dilsey Gibson**: Dilsey is the Compson family's black housekeeper and the central figure of the novel's fourth and final section. Her steadfast presence and strong moral compass contrast with the Compsons' disintegration. Dilsey's section shifts to a third-person omniscient point of view, providing a broader and more coherent perspective on events. As a character, Dilsey represents endurance and continuity in the face of change and decay, and her powerful faith offers a note of hope amidst tragedy. 6. **Miss Quentin**: Miss Quentin is Caddy's daughter and named after her uncle. She largely appears in Jason's section of the novel, where she is presented as a rebellious and promiscuous teenager. Miss Quentin's contentious relationship with her uncle Jason and her eventual escape from Jefferson reflect her desire for freedom and escape from the oppressive Compson household. The novel's narrative is not straightforward, and readers often find the fractured storytelling disorienting initially. Through the deeply flawed and complex Compson family, Faulkner explores themes of time, memory, the decline of Southern aristocracy, and the enduring scars of history and personal tragedy. The characters' roles and their interactions with each other drive these themes and bring to life Faulkner's richly textured portrait of a family in crisis.