Allusions and Symbols

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    By: Selene Zavala

    ALLUSIONS AND

    SYMBOLS

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    Biblical Allusion

    The structure of this novel is particularly the structural componentsof the New Testament.

    - The New Testament was written by Mathew, Mark, Luke, andJohn.

    -There are also four different chapters written by different point ofviews.

    The New Testament is based on different ways to honor God inorder to inherit his kingdom.

    Ironically, from these 4 different narrators, the reader can tell that

    most of the Compson family are doing everything but honoringGod.

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    Biblical scripture

    What! Do YOU not know that unrighteous persons will not inheritGods kingdom? Do not be misled. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters,nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men wholie with men, 10. nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards,nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit Gods kingdom (1

    Corinthians 6:9-10).Pride is before a crash, and a haughty spirit before stumbling(Proverbs 16:18).

    The Fornicators are Caddy and Quentin (brother).

    Mr. Jason (father) drunkard. Jason is an extortioner, thieve, reviler(towards Quentin) and a

    greedy person.

    Mrs. Carolines pride and haughty spirit causes her to suffer.

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    A Christ Figure

    In a biblical sense, Christs figure would have to be Caddy. The whole of the novel is about her life and figurative death within the

    Compson family.

    Her three brothers, in their own way, relate the loss of their sister and herinnocence.

    Her eyes flew at me and away. I began to cryI cried louder and pulledher dress. Her eyes ran.. She didnt smell like trees (69).

    Christ was a figure of ultimate purity and innocence, he understood thepurpose of his death and not once did he go against it.

    But now I know Im dead(124).

    -Her figurative death was not by her own hands, but by her own will.

    Her death deeply impacted the lives of those who loved her.

    Christ was resurrected by his father ; in Caddies case, her attempt ofbeing resurrected was her marriage.

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    Marriage

    Weddings are religious ceremonies that represent the purity of thebride and the sanctity of sex between a man and a woman.

    Caddies wedding symbolizes her resurrection. Her attempt to makeright of her sins.

    Ive got to marry somebody (115 ).

    Ironically, Caddies marriage sanctifying effects were moredestructive than purifying.

    Her wedding wasnt based on love and honesty, it was based onhatred and lies.

    Her destructive marriage caused a greater sense of loss than theloss of her virginity, and eventually lead to Quentin's suicide.

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    Death

    The symbolism of death is emphasized when Quentin describes thelittle girls face as a cup of milk dashed with coffee in the sweetwarm emptiness (125).

    The little girls face is described as being unclean and empty.

    still and unwinking eyes, like two currants floating motionless incup of weak coffee (128).

    The little girl remains silent and never shows any emotion, yet shefollows Quentin around like a shadow.

    This shadow of death follows Quentin through out his whole life

    and causes him to commit suicide.

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    Dirty Drawers

    He went and pushed Caddie up into the tree to the first limb. Wewatched the muddy bottom of her drawers. Then we couldn't seeher. We could hear the thrashing (Faulkner 25).

    -In Benjys chapter, this scene represents the loss of Caddie'sinnocence and existence, in the eyes of the Compson brothers.

    Her dirty drawers evokes a sense of dirtiness and filth to Caddie'sbehavior (impure).

    Her reckless behavior that day in trees foreshadows her upcomingreckless behavior with men.

    Benjy thinks of a funeral and a wedding at the same time to

    reinforce the tragic loss of Caddie into the tree, into the world ofsex and men.

    Caddie's wedding is the literal loss of her to this world; therefore,her nonexistence in the family.

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    Dirty little girl

    Quentin enters a bakery to find a dirty little

    child with eyes like a toy bears (125). The little girl symbolizes Caddy, representing

    the mystery that is both death and life.

    Three boys with fishing poles came onto thebridge (117).

    The 3 boys symbolize Caddies brothers.

    The three brothers had their own chapterswhere their thoughts were freely expressed.

    But Caddy never had a voice and remains silentfor most of their brief relationship.

    Like the girl, Caddy followed Quentin like ashadow but never told him where she lived.

    Do you love him(150-163).

    Caddy never answered Quentins questionabout Ames, but she followed Ames around

    aswell.

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    Bibliography

    J Mac. "Allusion in The Sound and the Fury." Yahoo! Contributor Network.Web. 22 Feb. 2010. .

    Albera, Lisa. "Symbolism, Imagery and Allegory in The Sound and TheFury." Lisa Abellera. Web. 07 June 2010.

    .