Thursday, April 17, 2008

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.

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