The narrative style of Quentin’s chapter reflect that of his mind constantly thinking, over thinking, and running on and on and on. Quentin is paralyzed by his depression and obsession with maintaining southern virtues. His obsession with time comes from a severe anxiety to preserve and a self loathing attitude. Quentin project this obsession on to his sister Caddy. Both Benjy and Quentin wish to preserve Caddy. Benjy wishes the innocence of Caddy to be maintained since she his only caring companion throughout his life. Quentin however want to protect and preserve Caddy not because she is his loving sister but because he has turned her into a symbol for the traditions his feels pressure to uphold. Quentin sees all women (and their honor) through Caddy.
In the South you are ashamed of being a virgin. Boys. Men. They lie about it. Because it means less to women, Father said. He said it was men invented virginity not women… and I said, Why couldn’t it have been me and not her who is unvirgin and he said, That’s why that’s sad too; nothing is even worth the changing of it, and Shreve said if he’s got better sense than to chase after the dirty little sluts and I said Did you ever have a sister? Did you? Did you? (pg.78)
At the time of this passage Quentin is an adult about to head off to Harvard. This takes place early in the chapter when Quentin is still in his dorm room at college. This however is not the present since we already know from Benjy's Chapter that Quentin has died. Even this early in the chapter we can already see that the pressure and obsessions of Quentin come from himself and not from his family. To his family Quentin is the son who went to Harvard, something to increase their social standing. Quentin construes this into believing that it is his responsibility, as the oldest and most successful, to preserve the traditional values of his ancestors. Quentin projects this obsession on to Caddy. That is why the example of virginity is used here. Quentin's obsession is not over Caddy's virginity it is over her virtue and honor, how he must preserve what he views as the embodiment of the dwindling southern values.
I agree that Quentin has an obsession with maintaining his sisters purity and the has objectified his sister to a symbol of his southern virtues. When he finds out she is no longer a virgin, this leads him to his mental unstability.
ReplyDeleteI liked your views on how Quentin and Benjy both need for Caddy to stay innocent. You are right about how Faulkner uses Caddy's virginity to show Quentin's obsession with her. Also I liked how you saw past just the outer issue of virginity and how he really was focused on her virtue and innocence, but used virginity to show his feelings.
ReplyDeleteI think that his obsession with his sister stems from a protective older brother place though this also ties into the southern values he wants people to uphold. This moral code or values he wants his sister to maintain lead him into his unstable mental state because when he learns that Caddy, whom he cares about a lot, is no longer a virgin.
ReplyDeleteI like how in the beginning you make it clear that Quentin is constantly reflecting on his mind which tends to over think. I like how you said the Quentin wants to protect caddy because not only for a loving sister relationship but because she is a symbol for tradition.
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