The Sound and the Fury

A landmark of modernist literature, The Sound and the Fury follows the downfall of the Compson family through four powerful, deeply emotional narratives. William Faulkner’s innovative use of stream-of-consciousness, shifting time, and multiple viewpoints creates a haunting portrait of memory, loss, and a family struggling to survive changing times.

The novel opens with the fractured perceptions of Benjy, whose sensory memories reveal truths others avoid. Quentin’s tormented reflections expose guilt and obsession, while Jason’s cold bitterness shows the family’s final collapse. The last section, told through a third-person voice, presents the world with clarity yet underscores the tragedy beneath it.

Rich, daring, and intense, The Sound and the Fury is considered one of the greatest works of 20th-century American fiction—a novel that challenges and rewards readers with its depth, language, and emotional power.