The Sound and the Fury - Representation of Cultural Change

The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner, is an excellent representation of culture change in America during the 1920s. The interaction between the Black servants and their white employers portray a sense of the feeling that the South was going through because they knew that times were changing, aristocracy was slowly diminishing and Modernism was rapidly rising. One of the strongest characters in the novel is Dilsey, who narrates the last part of the novel. She is represented as a grandmother figure, a black servant to the Compson family. Dilsey was present when the Compson family rose to power and remains during their downward spiral. Dilsey also represents a deeper meaning for the novel, she represents the modern era which is soon rising during the time, the progressive and liberal culture. She plays three different roles in the novel which relate to the Compson family and through these roles one can see the cultural change. Dilsey plays the authoritative role in the Compson house, she is seen as maternal figure for the Compson children, and finally Dilsey is symbol of hope for the Compson family.

Dilsey takes on the authoritative role in the Compson household which is seen throughout the novel, especially the last section where she is narrating and everything is in her point of view. Regardless of being a black woman, Dilsey has an honourable status in the house. Yes, there are times when she gets ill-treated by Mrs. Compson, Jason, or Miss. Quentin, but they listen to her nonetheless. There are times when Dilsey outright defies Jason and scolds him off. This is shown most clearly in the last section of the novel where Jason tells Dilsey to go wake Miss. Quentin up but Dilsey rejects him and tells him that Sunday i...

... middle of paper ...

...inferiors and their status was nothing more than that of servant, if nothing less. Dilsey on the other hand, held a more honourable position and status in the Compson household. Even talking to her properly at one time would be considered awkward, much less giving out commands and talking back, as Dilsey dares to do. Through Dilsey, the novel and Faulkner himself represent the time changes and the cultural changes that the aristocratic, traditional society went through, and transformed into the liberal, progressive society like the North, where slavery was seen as a morally wrong deed, obviously. The Compsons did not like the changes that were occurring but were forced to accept and go along because they had nothing else to lose and rely on. Dilsey holds a very strong presence in the novel and through it, a reader can truly see how times were then and how it is now.