Because of the complexities of this work, it is necessary to offer an introduction of sorts. It is divided into four main chapters and the first three are narrated in the first person by the brothers Benjy, Quentin and Jason respectively. The fourth chapter uses the third person, and has its main focus on Dilsey.
This work exemplifies the use of high modernism and the first two chapters in particular are notable for the lack of exposition or explanation. Benjy’s chapter is made more complex as he has extreme learning difficulties and is unable to communicate via speech. Complications also arise for the reader because two characters share the name Quentin (these are uncle and niece) and because Benjy’s name was originally Maury and is also later referred to as Ben (in Chapters Three and Four of the novel). Furthermore, time shifts back and forth and it is often left to the reader to put the clues together.
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