Final Post

The final chapter of this book ties the whole book together. Quentin running away is a final blow to the men of the Compson family. Caddy has been banished, Caroline is a delusional drama queen, and Quentin is a floosy who made the poor decision to run away; the women in the family are all detrimental to the Compson name. That being said, the men aren't exactly shining stars; Jason is a jerk, Benjy is mentally handicapped, and Quentin killed himself. The family itself has basically fallen apart, but the one piece of stability in this chapter and in the book is Dilsey. The fact that the African American servant is the only stable character in the family is an indication of the changing South and the role reversal that is about to take place. Overall, this book is telling the story of the crumbling old South and the rise of the new South from its ashes told through the story of a deteriorating family.

Jason Chapter

For lack of a better word, Jason is a jerk. Though the chapter does not reveal a lot of plot content, it does demonstrate Jason's character. He seems to go out of his way to belittle and abuse others. For example, when Jason has extra tickets to the show that Luster wants to attend, Jason doesn't just refuse to give Luster the tickets; he burns the tickets and makes Luster watch. Jason is also a bigot, and he is highly intolerable of anyone else who isn't him. In his chapter, he talks down on women, black people, and mentally handicapped people. The characteristic that I find most interesting about Jason is his insecurity. He is always concerned with the way people view him. He hates Benjy because Benjy's mental illness embarrasses him. Jason's biggest concern with Quentin is that her behavior will make him look bad. Even though he believes that he is above everyone else, he seems to care a whole lot about what others think of him.