Uncatching the Dress

This paper discusses the theme of sexuality as seen by Benjy, the mentally retarded Compson brother in William Faulkner?s “The Sound and the Fury”. Using many well chosen in-text citations, this essay discusses how Benjy understands the sexuality of his sister Caddy, what sexuality implies for him, and how he tries to free her from her sexuality.

From the Paper:

“In William Faulkner?s The Sound and the Fury, characters appear to trip and stumble through time as they attempt to narrate a past that is so painful for them that they sometimes lose control of their memories in narrating them. While the episodes in the different characters? chapters seem to flow from their minds without restrictions, there are, if closely examined, correlations between the memories. While Quentin?s and Jason?s memory triggers can be subtle and nested in dialogue, Benjy?s, because he is mentally impaired, are much more concrete; he relies on concrete images and objects as triggers for his memories.

In the earliest episodes of Benjy?s narration, clothing becomes an important symbol for sexuality that then serves as a trigger for Benjy?s memories involving his sister Caddy and his issues with her sexuality.”?