Folklore in Relation to The Sound and the Fury

The article “Faulkner’s Use of Folklore in The Sound and the Fury” by Charles D. Peavy elucidates Faulkner’s extensive use of folklore to the common reader so that a greater understanding of the general text can be gained. Much of the novel is lost upon the reader due to the complex references to folklore. Though the article focuses on five very different myths, his discussion of the significance of jimson weed held the most interest to me. Peavy first references its poisonous qualities and briefly recognizes that the fact Benjy is allowed to play with the jimson weed is surprising due to the danger it poses. However, Peavy does not connect such a topic with the disconnection of the family. After learning of its poisonous aspect I immediately saw such carelessness as a suggestion to the unloving quality of the family. After Caddy leaves, there is really no one to care for Benjy on an emotional level or even in this case truly put time into his well-being. Though a physical family structure still exists in some sense, however fragmented it is, every member of the family is for the most part independent of one another. Though Benjy has Luster to look after him, his caretaker does not truly care what he does as long as he is not visibly harmed. Therefore, there is no one to protect Benjy from the possible fatal consequences of his handling the jimson weed.

The author also identifies the jimson weed as “odoriferous” and compares its significance to Benjy to Quentin’s association with honeysuckle in the second chapter. The heavy, oppressive smell of jimson weed serves as a symbol of the importance of the loss of Caddy in Benjy’s life. The odor of the jimson weed contrasts directly to Caddy’s smell of trees. Also, just as he can never let go of the memory of Caddy, he cannot let go of the jimson weed. Unlike Quentin, however, who wants to free himself of the smell of honeysuckle, Benjy shows no desire to rid of the memory of Caddy. While the loss of Caddy gives him pain, the memories of her in childhood comfort him in his loneliness. Peavy also explores jimson weed’s representation of the male sex organ, a connotation produced by an intense study of the plant’s blooming habits. Faulkner employs Benjy’s holding of the jimson weed references his lack of male sexual organs, his castration.

Upon first reading these sections, I did not pick up these references in the least bit. Both probably would have helped my understanding of the book and eliminated at least some of my extreme confusion, but after reading this article I have come to a hypothesis. Faulkner did not want the reader to pick up on the individual clues throughout the novel, but rather connect all the obvious hints throughout the story to create a view of the overall plot. Last weekend I had two different random people and my dad tell me that to truly enjoy the overall effect of the novel it must be read as a whole instead of in parts. I agree, and I think Faulkner would too. As a whole the interconnectedness of Faulkner’s self-described greatest work flows and creates a sense of magic, while in parts, such an effect is lost. While such a conclusion was clearly not the intention of the article, the article nevertheless led me to it. If I immediately were able to identify all the references of folklore of The Sound and the Fury, I would not be as blown away as I put together the pieces of the novel and the mysterious quality of the novel would be ineffective in the face of my ridiculous intelligence. (620)