The Sound and The Fury 2

This chapter was all about Dilsey…

“She had been a big woman once but now her skeleton rose, draped loosely in unpadded skin that tightened again upon a paunch almost dropsical, as though muscle and tissue had been courage or fortitude which the days or the years had consumed until only the indomitable skeleton was left rising like a ruin or a landmark above the somnolent and impervious guts.” April Eighth, pg. 265

I believe that this is a very important quote to understand Dilsey. Dilsey was the Compsons servent. Even though she is old and weak this quote shows that yes physically she may be weak but mentally and spiritually she is very strong. Dilsey pretty much does all of the work around their house.  Even though she is getting old and weak and it’s harder for her to do a lot of her chores  Mrs Compson just gets annoyed and is mean to her when she does do it in the timely manner she expects. Luster is Dilseys son and he normally helps out too but she let him sleep in. Which also annoys the Mrs.  They send Dilsey upstairs to go get Quentin for breakfast and she was missing.  Jason checks his closet and the money he had saved was stolen. Meanwhile when they get downstairs Luster tells Dilsey that he sees Quentin climb out her window everynight, just as she did last night. Dilsey lets them handle their problem and she goes to church with her family and brings Benjy too. Dilsey is highly resepected there.

At church even though the reverend is black he talked like a white man, when he first gave his sermon he didn’t really get a response. But then he gives it again with more emotion and more in a “black” tone . Everyone rised to their feet saying “Yes, Jesus!” as he repeated over and over, “I got de ricklickshun en de blood of de Lamb!” April Eighth, pg. 295 . Normally when Dilsey brings Benjy with her he doesn’t really pay attention and gets distracted easily but even he was listeng to the sermon. Dilsey already beng emotional about the sermon noticed that and started to cry, and continued even as they were leaving the church. Then to herself she said “I’ve seed de first en de last…I seed de beginnin, en now I sees de endin.” April Eighth, pg. 297.

Even though Dilsey doesn’t actually narrate this section most of it is about her and she plays a very important role in this section. Its really good to see these things through Dilsey.