Monday, April 3, 2017

Final Chapter/Blog

As I made it to the end of this novel, many things started to clear up for me. The Compson family dynamic as well as each sibling's personal stories were more clear when reading both Jason and Dilsey's chapters. I think Faulkner ended his story purposefully with Dilsey's point of view in order for the reader to tie his conclusions and assumptions together. Dilsey oversees everything in the Compson household, seems to be the most sane and to me it feels like she's really running the show. 
This last chapter allowed me to  understand once and for all the merging of the old South and new South, and how it took a toll on the Compson family. Mostly all the members of the family other than Caddy were unable to change their opinions and lifestyle in order to become part of the new South. Each character being somehow stuck in the past showed how difficult it was for them to live in the present. 
The Compson's decline was inevitable, and the last chapter's clarity made me realize while I was reading and during the seminar that the Compson's were never going to move forward. I believe now at the end of the book that no matter if certain events didn't transpire, the Compson's would still end up where they are at the ending scene. Stuck in the past, unwilling and unbothered to move forward. 
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3 comments:

  1. Reagan VigilApril 6, 2017 at 6:07 PM

    Hey Ron! Great, great final analysis. I completely agree about the last chapter making it easier to understand the old and new south merging. I agree that the closer to the end you read, the easier it was to understand interactions in the early chapters of the book. Sad it's over but love you!

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  2. UnknownApril 6, 2017 at 7:03 PM

    I totally agree with your statement that Dilsey is the most sane, and I also agree with the point that, "I believe now at the end of the book that no matter if certain events didn't transpire, the Compson's would still end up where they are at the ending scene. Stuck in the past, unwilling and unbothered to move forward. " I never actually thought of it that way, but I think its true that no matter what could/would have happened the Compson's were going to lose their social relevance. good job!

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  3. UnknownApril 6, 2017 at 8:57 PM

    I also agree about the last chapter providing a lot of clarity. I think Dilsey was the one who was always looking out for the Compson family because she was aware of the family dynamic and was the one who was always there trying to take care of them. I think the characters that were not able to change were holding onto the past and i think that is one of Faulkner's biggest points he is trying to get across with this book.

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