Question 8

By the end of the novel, Mrs. Compson has forbidden the mention of Caddy's name. What is significant about the fact that Caddy does not have her own chapter (and that she is nameless by the end of the novel)?

Caddy remains ever present throughout the entire book with her name being strongest in Benjy's chapter, the innocent's chapter. Quentin also has a strong infatuation with Caddy, but her name actually starts to be replaced by shes and hers instead of Caddy; the name starts to fade. When Caddy is mentioned in Jason's chapter, she is always connected with money, Jason's main infatuation. The relationship between the two remains small; they seem to only be connected by their infatuations and not an actual relationship or the relationship is their infatuations. By not having a chapter and living through other chapters, Caddy remains distant and forgotten. She is a big part of the past and shapes others' lives through their experiences with her. Quentin and Benjy live in the past and so therefore Caddy a member of the past but not the present is mentioned. Jason only connects and mentions Caddy when money is involved and Dilsey never really mentions Caddy. Dilsey is the only person who remains completely in the present and in the present Caddy's name is never to be mentioned. The slow fading out of Caddy's name also ties in with the fading of Miss Quentin and her disappearance from the family's lives.

Benjy represents Caddy's innocence by his reaction to her maturing and becoming more promiscuous. When Caddy puts on the perfume for the first time, Benjy freaks out. He does not like this change in Caddy. He is used to her smelling like trees. He is used to her smelling green. The perfume hides that smell. The reaction to Charlie kissing Caddy is even stronger. He tries to hurt Charlie as a result and cries loudly. Caddy as a result also freaks out. she does not know what to do with Benjy, so she takes him inside to hide him from Charlie and hush him up. The strongest reaction comes from Caddy's loss of her virginity. Caddy can not even talk to Benjy. She feels that she has betrayed him in a way. She can not look at Benjy and runs from him. Benjy is the ultimate role of innocence. The morning that Miss Quentin has run away Benjy cries. Luster does not know what has happened, but Benjy in some way seems to know that something bad has happened. Furthermore, something bad has happened to Caddy's daughter. Benjy has some sort of deep connection with Caddy. She is the only person in the family that he was ever able to connect with and they still seem to be connect even through the distance.