Why Is Quentin Obsessed With Caddy?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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His obsession with Caddy's virginity is symbolic of his desire to find something pure and unspoiled to believe in , and when Caddy fails Quentin, he again wonders if his father might be right.

Who does Caddy lose her virginity to?

When he fails to protect that honour—that is, when Caddy loses her virginity to Dalton Ames and becomes pregnant—Quentin elects to commit suicide. Quentin's suicide, in conjunction with Caddy's pregnancy, precipitates the fall of the Compson . Still, for nearly two decades, the family survives.

Did Quentin sleep with caddy?

In his room, Quentin cleans a bloodstain off his vest and thinks about his mother. He remembers the time he told his father he had committed incest with Caddy , and that his father did not believe him. His father told Quentin that his feelings of despair about Caddy's behavior would quickly pass.

What happened to Caddy in The Sound and the Fury?

Compson says, “God sees that I am doing right.” By the last section of the novel, Caddy has disappeared . As Faulkner said in “The Paris Review,” the novel is “a tragedy of two lost women: Caddy and her daughter.”

Why does Quentin refuse to look at watches and clocks?

Quentin refuses to look at the time because the watch that his father gave him reminds him of his sister's promiscuity and his own view on how his family has started their decline . ... Throughout his section, Quentin tries to “escape” time, but he finds himself haunted by it.

Is Quentin Quentin's daughter?

Miss Quentin is the illegitimate daughter of Caddy Compson and an unknown father; her last name is never actually specified in the novel, though presumably she attends school – when she is not playing hooky – as “Quentin Compson.” In the 1946 Appendix to The Sound and the Fury Faulkner describes her as “The last.

Did Quentin and Caddy commit incest?

No incest. In fact, he's a virgin (as his roommate Shreve will make painfully clear later on). That doesn't stop him from trying to protect Caddy, however.

Who does caddy marry in The Sound and the Fury?

The second oldest of the Compson children and the only daughter. Actually named Candace, Caddy is very close to her brother Quentin. She becomes promiscuous, gets pregnant out of wedlock, and eventually marries and divorces Herbert Head in 1910 .

Who is Jason in The Sound and the Fury?

Jason is the only one of the four siblings—Quentin, Caddy, Benjy, and himself—to receive Mrs. Compson's affection, but he grows up into a bitter, loveless man. As an adult Jason feels like the world is against him, and he has a strong hatred of women, black people, and Northerners.

What event does caddy climb into a tree to observe within the family house?

Caddy is not convinced that a funeral is actually taking place, so she decides to spy on the adults through the parlor window . She climbs a tree and all three of her brothers catch a glimpse of her dirty underwear from below. When Benjy sees Caddy's soiled clothes he begins to cry again.

What is Quentin tormented by?

Unlike Benjy, who is oblivious to time, Quentin is so obsessed and haunted by it that he sees suicide as his only escape. Clearly, the main thrust of Quentin's section is his struggle with Caddy's promiscuity. Quentin is horrified by Caddy's conduct, and he is obsessed by the stain it has left on the family's honor.

What does Jason take from Benjy?

Jason confirms that Benjy has been castrated, that Quentin drowned himself, and that Caddy was divorced.

Does Quentin fight Dalton Ames?

Quentin suddenly pulls out a knife and threatens to push it into Caddy's throat. He can't do it, however. He fights Dalton Ames because Caddy is pregnant .

Who is Miss Quentin's mother?

Miss Quentin is the lone member of the newest generation of the Compson family. Many parallels arise between Miss Quentin and her mother, Caddy , but the two differ in important ways.

What do the italics mean in The Sound and the Fury?

At various points in Benjy's narration, Faulkner decided to use italics “ to establish for the reader Benjy's confusion; that unbroken-surfaced confusion of an idiot which is outwardly a dynamic and logical coherence ,” he explained in a letter, adding: “I wish publishing was advanced enough to use coloured ink for such, ...

Who is Dalton Ames in The Sound and the Fury?

Biography: A new arrival in Jefferson in the summer of 1909, Dalton Ames is the first man Caddy Compson has sex with , and may be the father of Caddy's daughter. Caddy tells Quentin that Ames has “been in the army had killed men” (148) and “crossed all the oceans all around the world” (150).

Maria LaPaige
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Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.