The second section of the novel, Quentin’s view, takes place in a single day of wandering around Boston with a plan of sorts in mind–he cuts classes at Harvard, dresses up, writes a few letters and ruminates on the past in the same pattern of randomness. We do find out a few things here though, despite Quentin’s state of mind.
He is obviously upset, and mostly about his sister (Caddy) having fooled around with someone, gotten pregnant (I think) and then married someone else in haste. The often wildly disoriented thought process shows just how deeply disturbing the events have been to him, and they seem to be piling up to a point that hints at suicide (the suiting up, the letters, etc.). Quentin has been a rather strange personality, even seen from Benjy’s simple relating of events in the first part of the novel. Benjy is always being removed from Quentin’s sight, and I seem to think that Caddy is the nurturing force in lieu of her mother, who has made it clear that all her children except for Jason have been a dissapointment to her.
There’s been a lot of emotional trauma in this family, and it seems, very little showing of love. Even Dilsey and her sons who have taken care of the household and in particular, Benjy, are rough in their ways. Mrs. Compson’s a basket-case, though Mr. Compson seems level-headed and caring in the time he spends with his children.
There are some points in this section that I couldn’t really feel comfortable with; and that’s mostly the stream of consciousness style that just didn’t feel real to me. This happened in reading Benjy’s section as well. However, it’s obvious that everyone thinks differently, especially under stress and particularly when obsessed with emotion (though I didn’t feel real emotion here, just a sense of being distraught and having lost hope). Even in my most obsessive and worrisome times, I believe I have a more regular rhythm and connection in my thoughts. Who knows, though, and Quentin certainly is an odd one. And this day, I think, is the culmination of a lifetime of pain.
So on to Jason.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology