The Absent And Deranged Motherhood In The Sound And The Fury-A Probe Into The Roots Of Compson Children’s Tragic Fates

The present thesis is an attempt to explore the three mother images in The Sound and the Fury:Mrs. Compson, Caddy and Dilsey. The Sound and the Fury, a novel by William Faulkner, tells the story of the Compsons who live in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County. The family is of former Southern aristocrats who are struggling to save themselves from dissolution and declining reputation. By drawing on the Feminist theories about motherhood as expounded by Simone de Beauvoir, Adrienne Rich, Julia Kristeva, the thesis argues that motherhood is absent and deranged in the family and it is the absent and deranged motherhood that causes Compson children’s tragic fates. Among these theories, the one by Simone de Beauvoir forms the main theoretical framework of the present research.This thesis is composed of four parts with an introduction and a conclusion. The introduction briefly introduces the author, the novel, and the focus and methodology of this thesis. Part one reviews the relevant studies of The Sound and the Fury at home and abroad from different approaches, especially the ones about women characters in this novel. Part two introduces the Feminist approach and theories about motherhood and mothering as expounded by female critics like Simone de Beauvoir, Adrienne Rich and Julia Kristeva. Part three analyzes the three mother images in The Sound and the Fury. In this part, firstly, this part explores the characteristics of the three mothers. Secondly, this part do researches on the relationships between mothers and Compson children. Part four explores the three mothers’influences on the Compson children in detail. Then at last, the conclusion of this thesis will be presented.Faulkner’s portrayal of the three mothers and their relationship with Compson children reveals a true picture of a typical Southern American family and discloses that the absent and deranged motherhood will cause the collapse of a family. Through the study, this thesis hopes to show the importance of motherhood in children’s growth.