The Values Of Time In The Sound And The Fury

William Faulkner is one of the most creative and most influential writers of the20thCentury American literature and is also one of the pioneers in the mastership of thenarrative technique of the stream of consciousness. His narration of stream ofconsciousness is of great importance both in his “Yoknapatawpha saga” and thedevelopment in the novels of the stream of consciousness. As the most representative workof the legends of Yoknapatwapha, the novel The Sound and the Fury has drawn world-wideattention for its original form, complex structure and profound themes. The Chinese criticshave done extensive and profound researches on the issues of the theme, creationtechniques, character, structures and time of the novel since1930s. Though the time issueis discussed by many critics, the criticism on the time seldom notices the relationshipbetween the time values of the characters’ and the time structure, which is very importantfor a comparatively perfect criticism. Moreover, few critics systematically explore thereason why the three Compson brothers’ and their black nanny’s time values differ fromeach other and how they come to them, and also few investigate the meaning of thetime-theme in Faulkner’s writing.However, it is very significant to make a comparatively systematical study of thenarration of time in the Sound and the Fury. First of all, the organization of the structureplays a crucial role in the novel. Faulkner breaks up the chronological order of the storyand fragments them into four parts, at the same time he employs various time narrationdevices such as flashback, reappearance of the scene, images, repetition of words and so onto achieve the shifting between past and present, which creates a fantastic world of time.Furthermore, the characters’ different attitudes toward time reveal their personality andenhance the theme of the novel. Therefore, a further comparatively accurate study of thetime structure and characters’ time value contributes to the better understanding of thenovel and Faulkner’s time value.This paper ventures to take up a systematical study of the three Compson brothers’different time values, their different understanding toward time and order, and how theycome to them, and to investigate the relationship between characters’ time values and thetime structure, at the same time to explore the meaning in the time-theme of Faulkner’s writing.First, this thesis analyzes Faulkner’s time value and the influence of Bergson’s timetheory on the writing of the novel. Then, the thesis investigates the relationship betweencharacters’ time values and the time structure, systematically explores different time valuesof Compson brothers and their nanny and causes of their obsession with time. The thesisholds that Benjy is incapable of relevancy and holds no perception of time, Quentin lives inthe past memories of old South, Jason views time as money and struggle to beat time,while their black nanny Dilsey accepts whatever the time tide brings and never recalls thepast. She lives and develops with the present, rather than resists it. From the analysis, it isclear that the family is closely related to the change of social class and values after theCivil War. Finally, this thesis analyses the right time value Faulkner wants to convey to thereaders by representing Compson brothers’ time obsession. Quentin’s time value representsthe obsession which Faulkner struggled with his own ambivalence toward the South.Jason’s time value represents what Faulkner witnessed in his time. Dilsey’s time belief iswhat the author’s truly want to express: Past suffering and oppression will be overcome inthe future through endurance. Her affirmative and life-enhancing life attitude forms sharpcontrast with the Compson’s self-abandon and life-denying attitude. Faulkner failed indoing What Dilsey had done, that’s why Faulkner said “Dilsey is braver than me.”This thesis ventures to make several innovations: Firstly, it justifies the interdependentrelationship between the time structure and character’s time value and its inseparablerelationship with the theme of the novel. Secondly, the thesis systematically researchFaulkner’s and the Compson brothers’ time-obsession and the cause of the formation. It isrelated with the social change of the decline of Southern white, and the rise of black andwhite trash. Thirdly, this thesis thinks that Faulkner’s employment of devices of timenarration intends not merely to introduce the plot of the story, moreover, by depicting thepast, the author wishes to tell people the truth and significance of focusing on present.Faulkner’s depicting of time obsession of Compson brothers and his other time-relatednovels are thought-provoking. Any attempts of control time will end in failure. Past,present and future time make up the whole history, what we should do is to value thepresent and keep moving on.