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Absalom, Absalom!
South was in a state of ruin; most banks and railroads were
INTR
INTRODUCTION
ODUCTION bankrupt, former plantation land was seized and redistributed
to former enslaved people, and the average income in the South
BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF WILLIAM FAULKNER dropped to nearly 40 percent of that in the North. But through
Regarded as one of the most celebrated American writers and a process known as Reconstruction (1865–1877), President
a leading figure in Southern literature, Faulkner is known for his Andrew Johnson returned this land to the prewar landowners.
experimental writing style, use of stream of consciousness, and The only conditions were that the landowners had to remain
works set in his fictional Yoknapatawpha County. Born in 1897 loyal to the Union, honor the Union’s abolition of slavery, and
in New Albany, Mississippi, Faulkner would move with his pay off war debt. Other than this, Johnson—an advocate of
family to Oxford, Mississippi in 1902, where he would live for states’ rights—gave the former Confederacy the liberty to
most of the remainder of his life. As a child, Faulkner listened to rebuild on their own terms. In response, many Southern states
his family tell him many stories about their experiences in created discriminatory laws called “Black codes,” which
northern Mississippi, and these greatly influenced his writing. restricted Black people’s economic activities and limited their
He later attended the University of Mississippi at Oxford but freedom. Reconstruction in Mississippi (where Absalom,
dropped out in 1920 after only three semesters to pursue a Absalom! is set) was particularly radical, employing codes called
writing career. He worked odd jobs for a time before moving to “vagrancy” laws to control the movement of Black people
New Orleans, then a popular spot for bohemians and artists. In throughout the state and punishing them for failure to adhere
New Orleans he shifted his focus from poetry to prose and to so-called “Old South” etiquette. In Absalom, Absalom!,
developed the modernist style that would define his later Sutpen’s failure to acknowledge his mixed-race son, Charles
works. He published his first novel, Soldiers’ Pay, in 1926, a work Bon, may be read as an allegory for the South’s failure to
that was heavily influenced by his mentor, Sherwood Anderson. adequately repent for its legacy of slavery and acknowledge
He wrote Flags in the Dust, his first novel set in his fictional the civil rights—and humanity—of its newly freed Black
Yoknapatawpha County, in 1927. Faulkner published The Sound population.
and the F
Fury
ury, one of his most famous books, in 1929. His first
short story collection (These 13) was published in 1931 and RELATED LITERARY WORKS
contains most of his most widely read stories, including “A Rose
for Emily” and “That Evening Sun.” Absalom, Absalom! was Most of Faulkner’s novels (including Absalom, Absalom!) are set
published in 1936 to mixed critical reviews, though in 2009 a in Yoknapatawpha County, a fictional county Faulkner created
panel of judges for the Oxford American would deem it the best based on Lafayette County, Mississippi. Another of Faulkner’s
Southern novel of all time. Faulkner would go on to receive the works set in Yoknapatawpha County is The Sound and the F Fury
ury
1949 Nobel Prize in Literature. He began work on his final (which also features one of Absalom Absalom!’s main characters,
novel, The Reivers, in 1961. Faulkner died in 1962 after Quentin Compson). Like Absalom, Absalom!, The Sound and the
sustaining a serious injury from falling form his horse; he is Fury examines the legacy of slavery in the American South and
buried alongside his family in Oxford. follows the tragic arc of a dysfunctional Southern family, the
Compsons. Faulkner’s novel Light in August is also set in
Yoknapatawpha County. Like Absalom, Absalom! and The Sound
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
and the F
Fury
ury, it is told in an experimental, modernist style, and it
Absalom, Absalom! takes place before, during, and in the examines in the American South during the interwar period.
aftermath of the American Civil War and traces the cultural and Absalom, Absalom!, and Faulkner’s writing as a whole, falls
economic transformations the region underwent in the under the genre of Southern Gothic literature, which (as its
aftermath of the war. Prior to the Civil War, agriculture was at name suggests) contains Gothic elements with a focus on the
heart of the South’s economy, and wealthy plantation owners American South. Other notable authors writing in this genre
profited mightily off the labor of enslaved Black people. include Flannery O’Conner, who is best known for her short
President Abraham Lincoln’s issue of the Emancipation story collection A Good Man is HarHardd to Find and her novel Wise
Proclamation in January 1863 changed the legal status of the Blood
Blood. Another notable author of Southern Gothic literature is
country’s 3.5 million enslaved people: the executive order Eudora Welty, who is best known for her short fiction and her
liberated enslaved people who escaped their owners and novel The Optimist’s Daughter.
managed to flee to Union lines or who lived in areas taken over
by Union troops. Following the Confederacy’s loss of the war
and the subsequent emancipation of enslaved Black people, the
KEY FACTS

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• Full Title: Absalom, Absalom! describes how Henry later fought alongside Judith’s fiancé,
• When Written: 1930s Charles Bon, in the Civil War—and then shot him dead outside
• Where Written: Oxford, Mississippi the gates of Sutpen’s Hundred as Judith stood waiting in her
wedding dress.
• When Published: 1936
Rosa describes the yearly visits she and her father, Goodhue
• Literary Period: Modernism
Coldfield, would make to Sutpen’s Hundred, and how Ellen
• Genre: Southern Gothic Novel became a shell of her former self when she married Sutpen. She
• Setting: Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi (a fictional portrays Sutpen as a man too preoccupied with his own
county Faulkner created, largely based on Lafayette County, ambition to give much care or affection to his family.
Mississippi)
After Rosa finishes that day’s story, Quentin returns home and
• Climax: Clytie lets the old house on Sutpen’s former estate listens to his father, Mr. Compson, tell his own stories about
on fire, killing herself and Henry Sutpen, and bringing
Sutpen. Mr. Compson fills in details that Miss Rosa left out and
Sutpen’s dynasty to its symbolic end.
sometimes contradicting her version of events and also
• Antagonist: Charles Bon and Henry Sutpen, Sutpen’s sons recounts Sutpen’s arrival in Jefferson. He describes how his
who bring about his demise
father, General Compson, loaned Sutpen seed cotton to plant,
• Point of View: The novel features numerous first-person and he details the construction of Sutpen’s grand mansion. He
and third-person points of view, shifting between different also tells Quentin about the dubious business venture that
characters’ stories of the rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen. Sutpen convinced Mr. Coldfield to join him in, Sutpen’s
engagement to Ellen Coldfield, and the elaborate wedding that
EXTRA CREDIT hardly anybody attended.
Mistaken Identity. Shreve, Quentin’s roommate at Harvard, Mr. Compson’s story fills in more details of Judith’s
appears in another of Faulkner’s novels, The Sound and the F
Fury
ury. engagement to Charles Bon, Henry’s friend from college who
However, while Shreve’s last name is McCannon in Absalom, accompanies Henry to Sutpen’s Hundred over the Christmas
Absalom!, it is MacKenzie in The Sound and the F
Fury
ury. holiday one year. Bon is a little older than Henry and from New
Orleans; Henry admires Bon’s refinement and natural ease and
A Bit of a Mouthful. The 1983 Guinness Book of World Records tries to imitate him. Rosa doesn’t meet Bon and only hears
lists Absalom, Absalom! as containing the “Longest Sentence in about what he’s like through Ellen, who seems determined to
Literature”—the sentence, which contains 1,288 words, is force a romance between Judith and Bon.
located in Chapter 6. The second Christmas that Bon and Henry spend at Sutpen’s
Hundred, Sutpen summons Henry to the library, and they get
into an argument that upsets Henry so much that he rejects his
PL
PLO
OT SUMMARY birthright and leaves with Bon that night. Nobody in town
The main story of Absalom, Absalom! takes place in fictional knows what the fight is about. Despite Henry and Bon’s abrupt
departure, everyone carries on as though nothing is wrong, and
Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi. It traces the rise and fall of
Rosa continues to sew Judith’s wedding dress.
the enigmatic Thomas Sutpen, who built his sprawling
plantation, Sutpen’s Hundred, on the outskirts of the town of Soon after, the Civil War begins, and Sutpen, Henry, and Bon go
Jefferson. The novel opens with Quentin, a young man whose off to fight. Meanwhile, Mr. Coldfield, a conscientious objector,
grandfather sitting in the stuffy, darkened house of an elderly locks himself in the attic after passing troops loot his store, and
shut-in, Miss Rosa Coldfield. Quentin’s grandfather, General he remains there until his death. Ellen has died by this point, as
Compson, was friends with Sutpen, while Rosa’s sister Ellen well. It’s now 1864, and Rosa, orphaned and destitute, goes to
was married to Sutpen (and Rosa herself was once engaged to live at Sutpen’s Hundred.
him, too). Miss Rosa has nursed an intense hatred toward Later, in the novel’s present, Mr. Compson walks outside and
Sutpen for the past 43 years because of the anguish and presents Quentin with a letter that Bon wrote to Judith while
suffering to which he’s supposedly “doomed” her family. Now, he was away fighting in the war, explaining that Judith kept the
she has asked requested that Quentin listen to her tell her letter and gave it to Quentin’s grandmother following Bon’s
story. death. As Mr. Compson and Quentin sit together on the
Rosa describes Sutpen’s arrival in Jefferson in 1833, the veranda, Mr. Compson continues his story, speculating about
fortune he made there, and the family he started with Rosa’s what the argument between Henry and Sutpen was about. Mr.
much-older sister, Ellen. Sutpen and Ellen had two children Compson believes that Sutpen went to Bon’s home in New
together, Henry and Judith. Rosa claims that Sutpen used her Orleans and discovered that he had a mixed-race mistress and
family’s good name, marrying Ellen to gain “respectability.” She a child there—meaning he would be committing bigamy by

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marrying Judith. Charles Etienne works the land until falling ill with Yellow
In Mr. Compson’s telling of the story, Bon is scheming and Fever. Judith cares for him until his death; shortly after, she too
opportunistic, seducing Henry with his charm as much as succumbs to the illness and dies. Clytie raises Jim Bond and
Judith. In fact—at least at first—Henry eagerly encourages the lives with him in the house after the others die. In the present,
courtship between Bon and Judith. But things change after Quentin tells Shreve about a shocking admission Rosa made to
Sutpen tells Henry about the other woman. After this (in Mr. him: there has been someone else hiding in the cabin.
Compson’s telling) Henry accompanies Bon to New Orleans to Quentin and Shreve continue to tell the story of Sutpen,
confirm whether Sutpen’s admission is true. There, Bon describing his impoverished childhood in the mountains of
scandalizes Henry by taking him to the brothel where the West Virginia. The family later moves to Tennessee and works
mistress lives. Henry urges Bon to break things off with the for a wealthy planter, who also owns enslaved people. One day,
mistress. young Sutpen approaches the planter’s mansion to deliver a
After their trip to New Orleans, Bon and Henry head north to message, and the Black enslaved man orders Sutpen to use the
Mississippi and enlist in the military. Henry remains fearful that back door, humiliating him. It’s at this point that Sutpen
Bon will marry Judith before breaking things off with the other conceives of his “design”: his ambitious plan to acquire so much
woman. After four years, Bon sends Judith a letter (the letter wealth and respect that nobody will ever shut the door on him
that Mr. Compson has presented to Quentin) telling her it’s or any of his sons ever again.
finally time for them to marry. Not long after, Henry and Bon After this, Sutpen leaves his family and travels to the West
return to Sutpen’s Hundred, and Henry kills Bon at the gate. Indies, where he makes a fortune. He marries a woman named
Sometime later, Quentin returns to Miss Rosa’s house, and the Eulalia Bon and has a child with her. After discovering the
story continues from her perspective. Miss Rosa’s story picks woman concealed her Black ancestry from him, he abandons
up after Wash Jones, a squatter who’d been living on Sutpen’s her and the child but continues to support them. This child, it’s
property, informs Miss Rosa of Bon’s murder. After Bon’s death, revealed, is Charles Bon—a fact Quentin only learned from
Rosa helps Clytie (Sutpen’s daughter with an enslaved woman) Miss Rosa. Quentin and Shreve believe that this is what Sutpen
and Judith carry Bon’s coffin to the gravesite. Following the told Henry in the library that fateful Christmas night.
burial, the three women continue to live in Sutpen’s house, In Quentin and Shreve’s imagined version of events, Bon’s
barely scraping by as they await Sutpen’s return from the war. motives for courting Judith and inserting himself into the
When Sutpen returns, he hardly reacts to the news of Bon’s Sutpens’ affairs are unclear. Perhaps he woos Judith to get back
murder. at Sutpen for his abandonment; perhaps his mother put him up
Later, Sutpen proposes to Rosa, who accepts. Then one day he to the task. Or perhaps he simply wanted Sutpen to
insults her, causing her to call off the engagement, leave acknowledge him as his son and only fell in love with Judith
Sutpen’s Hundred, and become a shut-in in her father’s old incidentally. In Quentin and Shreve’s version of the story,
house. (Later in the book, it’s revealed that Sutpen suggested to Sutpen seeks out Henry during the war and tells him about
Rosa that he’d only marry her after they had sex and she gave Bon’s Black ancestry, and this—not the incest or the
birth to a male heir.) mistress—is what causes Henry to turn on Bon and eventually
kill him.
In the present, the story picks up in Quentin and his roommate
Shreve’s dorm room at Harvard. Quentin has just received a Quentin and Shreve’s version of the story also describes
letter from his father announcing Rosa’s death. The letter’s Sutpen’s failed efforts to regain his former glory following the
arrival has prompted Shreve, a Canadian, to ask Quentin to tell war and Sutpen’s death. After Rosa calls off the engagement,
the story of Sutpen. As Quentin tells Shreve the story, Shreve Sutpen initiates a sexual relationship with Wash Jones’s
repeats sections back to him, occasionally interjecting with glib, granddaughter, Milly. The girl gets pregnant but gives birth to a
joking remarks. girl—not a male heir—so Sutpen insults her, and Wash kills
Sutpen in retaliation before killing Milly, the baby, and himself.
This section fills in details about the aftermath of Bon’s death,
describing how his son (Charles Etienne) and mistress travel to Finally, in the present, Quentin describes to Shreve how Miss
Mississippi to visit Bon’s grave. After the mistress’s death, Rosa took him to Sutpen’s Hundred to find the person Rosa
Charles Etienne comes to live with Judith and Clytie at claimed was hiding in the house where Clytie and Jim Bond still
Sutpen’s Hundred. They care for him but didn’t offer much live. Despite Clytie’s protests, they walk upstairs and finds an
affection to the grieving boy. His lonely childhood and old, dying Henry lying in a bedroom upstairs. Three months
confusion about his racial identity lead him to grow up to be a later, Rosa summons an ambulance to deliver Henry medical
troubled and sometimes violent man. Eventually he marries an attention, but Clytie mistakes the ambulance for the authorities
unnamed Black woman and has a son named Jim Bond with her. and sets the house on fire, killing herself and Henry as Jim
They live in an old slave cabin on Sutpen’s property, and Bond looks on and wails from outside.

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In the present, Shreve tells Quentin he has one more question more sympathy for Sutpen’s plight—views Bon as opportunistic
for him: why does Quentin hate the South? Quentin and scheming. In most versions of the story, Bon reenters
insists—first aloud to Shreve, and then silently to himself, that Sutpen’s life because he wants Sutpen to acknowledge him as
he doesn’t hate the South. his son. In some versions, Bon then knowingly pursues an
incestuous relationship with Judith to punish Sutpen. In others,
Bon pursues a relationship with Judith out of genuine (albeit
CHARA
CHARACTERS
CTERS still incestuous) love for her. After Sutpen tells Henry the truth
about Bon’s identity, Henry rejects his birthright out of loyalty
MAJOR CHARACTERS to Bon and even comes to accept Bon’s plan to marry Judith.
Thomas Sutpen – Thomas Sutpen is the main character of But after Sutpen later reveals Bon’s mixed-race ancestry, Henry
Absalom, Absalom!, though he only appears in the memories and kills Bon to prevent the marriage. In a reading of the novel as an
stories of him that other characters tell. Through these allegory for the South, Henry’s seeming acceptance of one
characters, the reader learns the story of Sutpen’s “design”: his social taboo (incest) but disgust at another (interracial
great ambition to transcend his impoverished childhood and relations) symbolizes the South’s inability to acknowledge the
become a wealthy and respected plantation owner in the pre- enduring legacy of slavery, the region’s great sin, and the
Civil War South. Sutpen’s rise and fall functions as an allegory inherent racism that underpins it.
for the South itself, examining how the South’s inability to Henry Sutpen – Henry Sutpen is Thomas Sutpen’s son. He’s an
acknowledge the horrors of slavery (which its wealth and impressionable young man who becomes close friends with
culture was built on) brought about its demise. Sutpen makes a Charles Bon (who, unbeknownst to Henry, is Sutpen’s
name for himself in Jefferson, Mississippi: he runs a successful illegitimate son) when the two meet while attending the
plantation called Sutpen’s Hundred and has married Ellen University of Mississippi. Bon’s refined, cosmopolitan
Coldfield (a woman from a respected local family) and had two sensibilities enchant Henry, and he soon takes to imitating his
children, Judith and Henry. But Sutpen’s luck turns when his style and dress—all the while failing to realize that Bon is his
firstborn child, Charles Bon, reenters his life. Sutpen half-brother. In fact, Henry is so enamored of Bon that he goes
abandoned Bon years before after learning that the child’s out of his way to encourage Bon’s courtship of Judith, Henry’s
mother (Sutpen’s first wife, Eulalia Bon) had Black ancestry; sister—and Bon’s half-sister. In this way, Henry is involved in an
Bon’s wish now is only that Sutpen acknowledge him as his son. incest conflict with Bon and Judith. There are hints throughout
But acknowledging Bon, a mixed-race man, would disrupt the book that Henry and Judith’s sibling relationship is closer
Sutpen’s plan to achieve respectability in the racist South, and than natural, and it’s possible that Henry’s initial enthusiasm for
so he refuses to grant Bon his wish—not directly out of Bon and Judith’s engagement—even before he knows Bon is
personal racism, but out of a stubborn commitment to racist their half-sibling—could reflect Henry’s unconscious desire to
Southern ideals. In retaliation, Bon pursues Sutpen’s daughter wed his own sister. After Sutpen reveals to Henry the truth of
Judith, a scheme that ultimately leads Henry to murder Bon Bon’s identity, Henry initially rejects his birthright, sides with
and then flee as a fugitive. After the Civil War, Sutpen returns Bon, and even comes to accept Bon and Judith’s incestuous
to a struggling Sutpen’s Hundred and tries in vain to fulfill his engagement. However, Henry later betrays and murders Bon
design. Having failed to produce a male heir with his first two outside the gate to Sutpen’s Hundred after Sutpen discloses
wives (and then with Rosa Coldfield, Sutpen’s second wife’s the truth of Bon’s mixed ancestry—apparently finding the idea
sister), Sutpen impregnates a young girl, Milly. But after he of Judith marrying a Black man more horrifying than the
insults Milly, Milly’s grandfather Wash Jones murders him, and prosect of incest. After the murder, Henry goes into hiding, only
Sutpen dies with his design left unrealized. returning to Sutpen’s Hundred as an old man to die there.
Charles Bon – Charles Bon is Thomas Sutpen’s son with his Clytie cares for him, hiding him away in the old house until Rosa
first wife, Eulalia Bon. Sutpen rejects Bon and his mother after and Quentin discover him there at the end of the story. When
discovering Eulalia’s Black ancestry, though he continues to Rosa later returns to the house to bring Henry medical
support them financially. Charles later enrolls at the University attention, Clytie mistakes the ambulance for the authorities
of Mississippi and befriends Sutpen’s legitimate son, Henry, come to finally hang Henry for Bon’s murder. She then lights
who eventually invites him to accompany him to Sutpen’s the house on fire, killing herself and Henry.
Hundred over the holidays. It’s difficult to ascertain Bon’s true Judith Sutpen – Judith Sutpen is Thomas Sutpen and Ellen
character and intentions with the Sutpen family, as readers only Coldfield’s daughter. She becomes engaged to Henry’s college
know him through other characters’ stories—and those friend Charles Bon (who is actually their half-brother,
characters are only describing what they know about Bon from unbeknownst to Judith or Henry) after Henry brings Bon to
others’ stories. Quentin and Shreve regard Bon as something of Sutpen’s Hundred for Christmas one year. It’s unclear whether
a tragic hero. But Mr. Compson—whose father, General Judith ever learns the truth about Bon’s identity. Throughout
Compson, was close friends with Sutpen and who therefore has

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the book, it’s stated that Judith and Sutpen have an unspoken His primary function is to listen to, absorb, and pass down the
understanding of each other, so it’s possible that Judith stories that Mr. Compson and Miss Rosa tell him about Thomas
senses—if only subconsciously—Bon’s connection to their Sutpen. When he later begins his studies at Harvard, he tells
family. Furthering the novel’s central incest plot, it’s also hinted the stories of Sutpen to his roommate, Shreve, and listens as
that Judith and Henry are closer than siblings ought to be. Shreve relates the stories back to him. As a Canadian, Shreve
Indeed, the book also loosely suggests that Henry’s eager doesn’t grasp the weight and significance the stories hold for
enthusiasm for Judith and Bon’s engagement could be an Quentin, who was born and raised in the South. Meanwhile,
expression of his unconscious wish to wed his own sister. After Quentin’s relationship to the South is complicated, haunted,
Henry discovers the truth about Bon’s mixed-race ancestry, he and the source of much anguish for him. Indeed, the novel’s
prohibits Bon from marrying Judith. In order to prevent the recurring imagery of ghosts, demons, and other supernatural
marriage, he shoots and kills Bon outside the gates to Sutpen’s entities reflects the symbolic “curse” that the inability to
Hundred as Judith looks on in her wedding dress. After Bon’s acknowledge the enduring legacy of slavery has cast on the
death, Judith discovers a photo of Bon’s mistress in the metal region and its inhabitants. The story that Quentin tells Shreve
frame she gave him. In Quentin and Shreve’s imagined version ends with Rosa and Quentin traveling to Sutpen’s Hundred and
of events, Bon planted the photo intentionally so that Judith finding Henry Sutpen hidden in the old house there. Later,
would know not to grieve him. Judith continues to live at Clytie lights the house on fire, killing herself and Henry and
Sutpen’s Hundred with Clytie and Rosa after Bon’s death. symbolically ending Sutpen’s “design.” After Quentin finishes
Following Bon and his mistress’s deaths, Judith cares for telling his story, Shreve demands to know why Quentin “hates”
Charles Etienne, the son Bon had with his mistress. She nurses the South, and the novel ends with Quentin protesting to
Charles Etienne when he is sick with yellow fever before Shreve—and later to himself—that he does not hate it.
succumbing to the illness herself. Ellen Coldfield – Ellen Coldfield is Rosa Coldfield’s much-older
Rosa Coldfield – Miss Rosa Coldfield is an elderly woman who sister. She comes from a respectful family, and Thomas Sutpen
lives in Jefferson, Mississippi. She’s one of the novel’s main chooses her as his wife to secure his reputation in town and
narrative voices—the novel opens with Quentin sitting in Miss further his “design.” They have two children together, Judith
Rosa’s stuffy, dimly lit house as she tells him the story of how and Henry. Sutpen is a cruel and unfeeling husband, and Ellen
Thomas Sutpen doomed and destroyed her family. Miss Rosa’s becomes a shell of her former self upon marrying him, seeming
tone and language make clear her hatred and resentment to exist in a perpetual state of suspended reality. In some
toward Sutpen—she repeatedly describes him as a “demon” or characters’ versions of the Sutpen saga, Ellen is instrumental in
an “ogre.” Through Rosa (and through Mr. Compson), Quentin orchestrating Judith and Bon’s courtship (not knowing they are
learns of Sutpen’s arrival in Jefferson and his efforts to gain the actually half-siblings), doing everything in her power to get
“respectability” central to his “design.” In Rosa’s story, Sutpen them alone together and spreading rumors of their supposed
strategically ingratiates himself with the well-respected engagement around town. She passes away during the war. It is
Coldfields, involves Rosa’s father (Goodhue Coldfield) in a her dying wish for Rosa to come live at Sutpen’s Hundred to
dubious business scheme, and marries and has two children “protect” her children from Sutpen, whom Ellen believes is bent
with Rosa’s much-older sister (Ellen Coldfield). After Ellen and on leading his family to destruction.
Mr. Coldfield’s deaths, Rosa woes to live with Judith and Clytie Clytie – Clytie (short for Clytemnestra) is Thomas Sutpen’s
at Sutpen’s Hundred. When Sutpen returns from the war, Rosa, daughter by an enslaved Black woman. She is born into slavery
now 20, agrees to marry him. However, after Sutpen insults her on Sutpen’s plantation but later lives there as a servant. Sutpen
(he says he’ll only marry her after they have sex and she appears to treat Clytie relatively well, and Sutpen’s
successfully produces a male heir), she flees Sutpen’s Hundred enslavement of her is portrayed less as a consequence of his
and spends the next 43 years as a shut-in, consumed by her inherent racism and more as a reflection of his ambition to gain
hatred for Sutpen. At the end of the story, somehow knowing respectability among Southern gentility. (Of course, Sutpen’s
that there is “someone” hiding in the old Sutpen house, Miss specific motives for enslaving his own daughter don’t make her
Rosa orders Quentin to accompany her to the old Sutpen enslavement any less cruel.) Clytie lives with Judith (and later
house, where she finds a dying Henry Sutpen, who has lived as Rosa) in Sutpen’s mansion following Bon’s murder, and she
a fugitive for decades following his murder of Charles Bon. helps raise Charles Etienne. After Charles Etienne and his
Three months later, she returns with an ambulance to bring unnamed wife’s deaths, Clytie also raises Charles Etienne’s son,
Henry medical attention, but Clytie mistakes the ambulance for Jim Bond. Clytie cares for Henry Sutpen after he returns to
the authorities and lights the house on fire, killing herself and Sutpen’s Hundred to die after living for years as a fugitive. At
Henry. Rosa dies three months later. the end of the story, Rosa summons an ambulance to deliver
Quentin Compson – Quentin Compson is one of the book’s medical care to Henry, and Rosa mistakes it for the police. In a
main characters, though he hardly speaks any words of his own. panic, she lights the house on fire, killing herself and Henry and

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finally bringing Sutpen’s “design” to its long-awaited end. Goodhue Coldfield – Goodhue Coldfield is Rosa and Ellen’s
Mr
Mr.. Compson – Mr. Compson is Quentin’s father and one of father. He’s a respected storeowner in Jefferson. Enigmatic
the book’s main narrative voices. His father, General Compson, newcomer Thomas Sutpen persuades him to enter into dubious
was Thomas Sutpen’s only friend in Mississippi, and he passes business dealings, but Coldfield eventually pulls out after his
down stories of his interactions with Sutpen and the stories “conscience” prohibits it. Despite his reservations about
Sutpen has told him about his life to Mr. Compson, who in turn Sutpen’s character and business dealings, though, he still allows
tells these stories to Quentin. Though Mr. Compson speaks his eldest daughter, Ellen, to marry Sutpen. Mr. Coldfield is a
with authority on the subject of Sutpen, much of what he knows conscientious objector to the Civil War and shuts himself inside
of the man and his life he has not experienced firsthand, thus his attic once the fighting begins, remaining there until his
his account of the Sutpen saga is inherently incomplete and death.
subjective. Gener
Generalal Compson – General Compson is Mr. Compson’s father
Charles Etienne – Charles Etienne is the son of Charles Bon and Quentin Compson’s grandfather. He was Sutpen’s only
and his unnamed, mixed-race mistress. Bon abandoned Charles friend and loaned him the seed cotton he used to get started on
Etienne and his mother to confront Sutpen, but they journey his plantation. Because most of what Mr. Compson passes
from their home in New Orleans to Sutpen’s Hundred after down to Quentin comes from stories that General Compson
Bon’s murder to visit Bon’s grave. After his mother’s death, told him, Sutpen comes off as more sympathetic in sections told
someone (likely Clytie) fetches Charles Etienne from New from Mr. Compson’s perspective.
Orleans so he can grow up at Sutpen’s Hundred. Judith and Wash Jones – Wash Jones is a squatter whom Sutpen allows to
Clytie care for him but don’t give him any affection. Charles live in the shed at the abandoned fishing camp on Sutpen’s
Etienne’s lonely childhood, the death of his mother, and his Hundred. He’s embittered about his low status, especially
confusion about his racial identity lead to him become a following the emancipation of enslaved Black people after the
troubled and occasionally violent adult. Though General South’s loss of the Civil War. He resents Clytie for not allowing
Compson offers to help him leave town and escape to the him inside Sutpen’s mansion, an insult that mirrors the
North, where he can pass as white, Charles Etienne chooses to humiliation incident that propelled Sutpen’s ambitious quest to
remain on Sutpen’s Hundred. He eventually marries an carry out his “design” years before. After Sutpen’s son Henry
unnamed Black woman with a dark complexion, and he and his rejects his birthright and runs away, Sutpen initiates a sexual
wife and have a child named Jim Bond. He fixes up an old slave relationship with Wash Jones’s granddaughter, Milly, hoping to
cabin on the property and works the land until falling ill and bear a male heir with her and continue his dynasty. However,
dying of yellow fever. Judith cares for him before succumbing after Wash overhears Sutpen insult Milly for giving birth to a
to the illness herself. girl, he murders Sutpen with a scythe before turning the blade
Jim Bond – Jim Bond is the son of Charles Etienne and Charles on Milly, the newborn, and finally himself.
Etienne’s unnamed wife. The novel implies that he was born Milly Jones – Milly Jones is Wash Jones’s 15-year-old
with intellectual disabilities. He is Thomas Sutpen’s grandson granddaughter. Thomas Sutpen initiates a sexual relationship
by birth, though Sutpen wouldn’t acknowledge him as such (nor with her with hopes of producing a male heir and continuing his
could he, as Sutpen died before the child was born) due to the dynasty. But when Wash Jones overhears Sutpen insult Milly
boy’s Black ancestry. Clytie raises him in the old slave cabin on after she gives birth to a girl, a murders Sutpen with a scythe
Sutpen’s Hundred. After Clytie sets the house on fire at the end before turning the blade on Milly, the newborn, and finally
of the story, killing herself and Henry Sutpen, onlookers hear himself.
Bond’s agonized wail coming nearby, but he flees before Shre
Shrevve McCannon – Shreve McCannon is Quentin’s roommate
anyone can locate him. Quentin says people still hear his at Harvard and one of the story’s narrative voices. Quentin
wailing from time to time. As the sole surviving Sutpen, his relates to Shreve the stories that Rosa Coldfield and Mr.
suffering—his being “doomed to live,” to employ a phrase Rosa Compson have told to him about Thomas Sutpen, and Shreve
Coldfield uses often—symbolizes the enduring and responds by repeating the stories back to Quentin—often for
unacknowledged trauma of slavery in the post-war South. clarification, as many aspects of the stories seem too fantastical
Eulalia Bon – Eulalia Bon is the first wife of Thomas Sutpen. to be true, and also to offer joking, glib commentary. Shreve’s
Sutpen rejects her and their child, Charles Bon, after flippant responses to Quentin’s story demonstrate how his
discovering that she has Black ancestry, though he provides for status as a Canadian makes it impossible for him to grasp the
them financially. In Quentin and Shreve’s imagining of events, weight and full significance of the stories Quentin tells him
Eulalia is an embittered, vengeful woman who concocts a (most of which are set in the American South).
scheme to use Bon to exact revenge on Sutpen for abandoning The Spinster Aunt – Rosa and Ellen Coldfield’s aunt is never
her. named; characters mostly refer to her as “the aunt” or “the

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spinster aunt.” She raises Rosa after Rosa’s mother dies giving
birth to her, instilling in Rosa a sense of self-importance that THEMES
leaves her underprepared to do practical work and fend for
In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color-
herself following Mr. Coldfield’s death. She runs away with her
coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes
lover, a cavalryman who later serves in the war. When her lover
occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have
is called to serve, Mr. Coldfield, a conscientious objector,
a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in
refuses to accept her back home.
black and white.
Major de Spain – Major de Spain is the deputy sheriff of
Jefferson at the time when Wash Jones murders Sutpen.
STORYTELLING, PERSPECTIVE, AND
Following the discovery of Sutpen’s body, de Spain and some
TRUTH
other men, including General Compson, assemble around the
stable where Wash Jones has barricaded himself, his One of the aspects of Absalom, Absalom! that makes
granddaughter Milly, and Milly’s newborn. Wash Jones kills the novel so difficult to read is its narrative
Milly, the baby, and himself. Though the other men claim they perspective. The perspective shifts frequently—and often
can hear Wash’s scythe slash Milly and the baby’s throats, de without clear or obvious transition—as different narrators tell
Spain claims not to have heard. their version of the rise and fall of Thomas Sutpen, the novel’s
main character. The book’s complicated, meandering narrative
The FFrench
rench Architect – The French architect lends an air of
style reflects one of its central themes: the idea that a person’s
mystery to Thomas Sutpen’s past. Sutpen somehow forced the
understanding of history is subjective, flawed, and incomplete.
French architect to travel to Mississippi to design his mansion
As Quentin listens to the elderly Miss Rosa Coldfield’s
at Sutpen’s Hundred without pay. The architect later flees, and
embittered tirade against Thomas Sutpen, the “demon” who
General Compson is present for the ensuing manhunt. He
insulted her honor and doomed her family to a lifetime of
recounts the tale to his son, Mr. Compson, who later tells the
suffering, his understanding of Sutpen as a cruel, calculating
story to his own son, Quentin.
man is filtered through the lens of Miss Rosa’s especially
Charles Bon
Bon’s’s Mistress – Charles Bon’s mistress in New biased, spiteful perspective. But in between Quentin’s visits
Orleans is referred to as “the octoroon woman” or simply “the with Miss Rosa, Quentin’s father, Mr. Compson, relates to
octoroon” (an outdated, derogatory term that refers to a Quentin a far more sympathetic story of Sutpen’s plight. Mr.
person of one-eighth Black ancestry). They have a child, Compson’s version details Sutpen’s humble beginnings in the
Charles Etienne, with her, and the mistress and Charles mountains of West Virginia, his ambition, and his supposed
Etienne visit Bon’s grave at Sutpen’s Hundred following his “innocence.”
death. After Bon’s mistress dies, Charles Etienne comes to live
Complicating matters further is the fact that, for the most part,
with Judith and Clytie at Sutpen’s Hundred.
none of the storytellers who enlighten Quentin about Sutpen
Charles Etienne
Etienne’s’s Wife – Charles Etienne’s wife is an unnamed are describing events they witnessed firsthand. For example,
Black woman with a dark complexion. It’s suggested that she the stories that Mr. Compson tells Quentin are based on the
comes from a “backwater” place and isn’t very intelligent. stories Mr. Compson has heard from his own father, General
Charles Etienne flaunts her dark skin around Judith and around Compson—Sutpen’s only friend. And the story of Sutpen’s life
town, seemingly trying to incite people. Charles Etienne and his that General Compson passed down to his son is itself
wife have a child together, Jim Bond, who seems to be born incomplete. Ultimately, all General Compson knows of his
with severe mental impairments. friend comes from what he was able to observe firsthand or
from the cherry-picked details Sutpen deemed fit to share with
MINOR CHARACTERS him.
Luster – Luster is a young Black boy around Quentin’s age. In When Quentin later relates these stories to his college
Cambridge, Quentin describes a time he, Luster, and some roommate, Shreve, at Harvard, it only further compromises
other boys approached the old Sutpen house and saw Clytie their factual integrity: not only has Shreve never met any of the
sitting on the front porch. people who feature in Quentin’s stories, but as a Canadian,
The La
Lawy
wyer
er – The lawyer appears in Quentin and Shreve's Shreve lacks the cultural and historical context to fully
speculative version of the story of Charles Bon. They imagine appreciate the weight and importance of the stories Quentin is
that Bon's mother, Eulalia, hired a lawyer to assist in a plot telling him (which mostly take place in the American South).
against Sutpen. The complex, multifaceted narrative structure of Absalom,
Absalom! rejects the notion of a single, objective understanding
of history, instead presenting history—and, in a broader sense,
truth—as a collage of competing, subjective perspectives.

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THE SOUTH West Virginia, Sutpen leaves his family and attempts to start
from scratch, gradually amassing a substantial fortune before
Absalom, Absalom! takes place in Mississippi before,
settling in Mississippi, where he builds a plantation and a
during, and after the American Civil War. Thomas
dynasty. At first, it seems that Sutpen has achieved the
Sutpen’s rise and fall throughout this time may be
impossible, rising above his humble origins to achieve a life
read as an allegory for the American South in a broader sense,
entirely of his own making. And decades later, when General
examining how the South’s legacy of slavery continues to haunt
Compson recounts stories about Sutpen, he repeatedly
the region in the aftermath of the Civil War. The Confederacy
stresses Sutpen’s “innocence.” That is, Sutpen either disregards
(comprised of Southern states that seceded from the Union)
or is unaware of the broader social, economic, and cultural
experienced great economic decline following its defeat in the
forces (particularly the institution of slavery) that have allowed
Civil War, in part because slavery—which drove the South’s
him to thrive as a white man in a racist society. Instead, he
agricultural economy—was abolished. But almost immediately
believes his success is the consequence of his ambition alone.
after, a period called Reconstruction effectively allowed former
Confederate states to rebuild themselves on their own terms. But when a figure from Sutpen’s past, Charles Bon, reappears,
This led to a series of racist, discriminatory laws against the it disrupts that innocence and sets into motion a series of
region’s Black population aimed at restoring the South’s pre- events leading to Sutpen’s demise. Charles is the son Sutpen
war culture and thriving economy—while simultaneously failing had with his first wife, Eulalia Bon, whom he abandoned after
to atone for or acknowledge the legacy of slavery that discovering Eulalia had concealed her Black ancestry from him.
sustained that culture. In essence, Charles’s reappearance shatters the illusion that
Sutpen can fully control his own life and remain willfully
In the novel, Sutpen’s rise and fall mirror the South’s stubborn
ignorant of the broader social issues around him. When
commitment to its old, racist ideals and inability to
Sutpen’s past—namely, his racially and economically motivated
acknowledge the legacy of slavery. Sutpen’s life centers around
rejection of his first-born son—catches up with him, it dispels
his “design,” an ambitious plan he comes up with as child after
the innocent belief that Sutpen’s ambition alone has propelled
an enslaved Black man disrespects him (or, at least, this is how
the trajectory of his life. To the contrary, the success that
Sutpen interprets the incident). His plan is to build a dynasty
Sutpen has seen in his life is inextricably tied to specific
and amass respect and wealth. Sutpen ultimately moves to
circumstances that have allowed him to thrive: namely, his
Mississippi and succeeds, achieving the quintessential vision of
whiteness and the privilege it grants him within the plantation
respectability as a Southern plantation owner. His success is
culture of the pre-Civil War South.
spurred by a feeling of superiority over Black people, and it
relies on a white supremacist culture and the institution of Throughout the novel, characters repeatedly speak of Sutpen’s
slavery. In this sense, Sutpen’s personal “design” is an allegory doomed fate or of the curse he has brought upon his family.
for how his society—that is, the pre-Civil War South—was This explanation does not convey Sutpen’s lack of personal
structured. responsibility; rather, it gestures toward the external forces
that Sutpen repeatedly tries—and fails—to compete against.
But Sutpen makes one critical “mistake” along the way: he
Ultimately, Sutpen’s ambition is not great enough to overcome
rejects his first-born child, Charles Bon, after discovering that
the “mistakes” of his past (Bon). Nor can it insulate him from the
Bon’s mother, Eulalia, has Black ancestry. When Charles Bon
circumstances of his present (a depressed Southern economy)
later reappears in Sutpen’s life, Sutpen rejects him because
or the challenges that plague the human experience more
Bon’s Blackness has no place in Sutpen’s design—that is, within
generally (betrayal, misunderstanding, the inevitable passage of
the racially discriminatory hierarchy of the Old South.
time). In this way, Sutpen’s rise and fall illustrates the inability of
Ironically, though, Sutpen’s rejection of Bon triggers a series of
personal ambition to overcome the cultural, social, and
events (most notably, Henry Sutpen’s murder of Bon) that
historical forces that shape the broader human story.
dooms Sutpen and his family to failure and despair. In this way,
Sutpen’s loyalty to Southern ideals is his undoing, and its
consequences continue to haunt his family for decades to SOCIAL TABOOS, RACISM, AND
come. Symbolically, then, Sutpen’s entire trajectory parallels INHERITED TRAUMA
the South’s defeat in the Civil War and its inability to come to At the heart of Absalom, Absalom! lies an incest plot
terms with its legacy of slavery. centered around three of Thomas Sutpen’s
children: Henry Sutpen, Judith Sutpen, and Charles Bon. Bon is
THE LIMITS OF AMBITION Henry and Judith’s half-brother (unbeknownst to Henry and
Absalom, Absalom! traces Thomas Sutpen’s Judith), and his mother was part Black, whereas the Sutpens
quest—and ultimate failure—to build a life from the are white. Bon’s Black ancestry further complicates the novel’s
ground up. Born into poverty in the mountains of incest plot, adding another type of social taboo in the world of
the novel: interracial relationships. When Henry brings Bon

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home to Sutpen’s Hundred for Christmas in 1860, Bon initiates his life. Doors also play a key role in Sutpen’s refusal to
a romance with Judith that later leads to an engagement. acknowledge Charles Bon as his legitimate heir: Sutpen
Eventually, Sutpen tells Henry the truth about Bon’s identity resolves to become wealthy and powerful to ensure that no son
(it’s assumed, though Faulkner leaves some room for ambiguity, of his will ever be disrespected or denied entry through a door
that Bon knows all along that he is related to the family). But ever again. Accepting Bon would upend that goal, for Bon, as a
rather than admonish Bon for his attempt to commit incest, man with Black ancestry, would be denied entry to countless
Henry honors his loyalty to Bon, rejects his birthright, and doors in the pre-war culture of the South.
leaves Sutpen’s Hundred with Bon the next morning. In fact, he Meanwhile, in the novel’s present, Quentin dreads passing
ultimately gives Bon his blessing to marry Judith, justifying it on through the door when he and Miss Rosa arrive at Sutpen’s
the grounds that kings and other nobility “have done it.” estate to discover the identity of the person she’s been hiding
However, when Sutpen reunites with Henry four years later there (Henry)—an action that would symbolically force Quentin
and reveals to him a second secret about Bon—his Black to confront the painful and confusing inherited past he’s had
ancestry—Henry revokes his support of the marriage. In short, thrust upon him simply by being born in the South. Finally, the
he finds the taboo of incest more tolerable than the taboo of a gate to Sutpen’s Hundred holds great symbolic value—it’s
mixed-race man marrying his sister—so much so that Henry where Henry murders Bon to prevent him from marrying
murders Bon to prevent the marriage. Not only does Henry’s Judith. In murdering Bon at the gate, Henry denies Bon entry
murder of Bon reveal the depth of his racism, but the racially into Sutpen’s dynasty via a marriage to Judith, an action that
motivated act sets into motion a series of events that affect the reflects Henry’s drive to prioritize the preservation of the
siblings and their family for the rest of their lives. In a sense, the social and racial hierarchies of the pre-war culture into which
killing haunts the Sutpens, much like the genetic consequences he was born.
of incest can affect a family for generations: the murder
“dooms” Judith to spinsterhood as it dooms Henry to a life of
running from the law. Meanwhile, the mystery and horror SUTPEN’S DESIGN
surrounding the murder captivates and haunts Southerners for Sutpen’s “design” symbolizes the limits of ambition
decades into the future, with characters like Quentin plagued and the inability of any person to exist outside the
by the lingering presence of ghosts he believes he has inherited broader human story. Sutpen’s design—the term he and others
against his will. In paralleling two taboos in the world of the use to describe his great ambition to achieve wealth and
novel—incest and interracial relationships—Faulkner “respectability” in the plantation culture of the pre-war
symbolically compares the inherited genetic abnormalities that South—leads him to treat people with cold indifference,
can result from incest with the racist attitudes that persist in exploiting them to meet his ambitious ends. He does so
the American South. In so doing, he sheds light on the rampant believing that he can not only rise above the social and
racism and the inherited trauma of slavery that lingered in the economic hierarchies that so disadvantaged him as a youth
aftermath of the American Civil War and the abolition of (Sutpen was born into a poor family and disrespected because
slavery. of it), but also that he can achieve so much power that he may
exist beyond the reach of society and other people altogether.
Ultimately, though, Sutpen’s indifference toward and
SYMBOLS exploitation of others becomes his demise: his rejection of his
illegitimate son Charles Bon due to Bon’s mixed-race ancestry
Symbols appear in teal text throughout the Summary and deprives him of an heir to his dynasty when Sutpen’s legitimate
Analysis sections of this LitChart. son, Henry, murders Bon, forcing Henry to go into hiding. Later,
he tries to produce a new heir by impregnating Wash Jones’s
DOORS AND GATES granddaughter Milly. But when Jones overhears Sutpen cruelly
insult Milly for giving birth to a girl, he murders Sutpen in
Gates and doors symbolize the act of confronting retaliation, effectively proving that Sutpen cannot pursue his
and understanding difficult truths. Throughout the ambition without taking into account how that ambition
novel, characters have important revelations or achieve closure impacts others. Regardless of his aspirations to rise above his
when they pass through—or fail to pass through—doors or humble roots and above humanity altogether, he is
gates. When Sutpen is a young boy, he loses his innocence nevertheless a part of the broader human story, and his actions
about the correlation between race, class, and respect when a have consequences.
Black enslaved man denies him entry through the front door of
the mansion of the wealthy planter whom Sutpen’s family
works for. It’s Sutpen’s failure to pass through that door that
ignites the ambition—his “design”—that consumes the rest of

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GHOSTS AND THE SUPERNATURAL

Page Number: 3
In Absalom, Absalom! characters’ references to
ghosts and the supernatural symbolize the weight Explanation and Analysis
of inherited historical trauma that haunts the South and its This passage happens early in the story. Quentin is sitting in
inhabitants in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Miss Rosa’s stifling office as she tells him the story of her
Throughout the novel, Quentin repeatedly references the family’s history with Thomas Sutpen, the novel’s antagonist.
“ghosts” that have haunted his youth, describing the experience For the past 43 years, Miss Rosa has held a grudge against
of having grown up around elders who were alive to see—and Sutpen for destroying her family, and for reasons that
to mourn—the height and decline of the pre-war South. He Quentin has yet to (nor will ever) understand, she’s decided
describes the region’s pre-war culture as “ghost-times” and the it’s finally time to lift the burden of that grudge from her
older generation who stubbornly clings to that culture as shoulders by telling her story—and she’s selected Quentin
ghosts. He also laments that he, too, must exist as a ghost as her audience.
simply by virtue of being born in a place that can’t let go of its
past. This passage illustrates Quentin’s shifting focus as he listens
to Miss Rosa speak. As she talks of the Old South—a period
Ghost imagery also evokes the pointlessness of clinging to a of history that saturates the culture into which Quentin was
long-dead past—ghosts can haunt and impart misery on the born and has lived his entire life, though he was born
living, yet they cannot effect tangible change. Miss Rosa’s decades after the Civil War’s end—Quentin contemplates
decades-long grudge against the long-dead Thomas Sutpen, for how living in a place with so many lingering traumas has
instance, only serves to perpetuate her misery and alienate her created within him a split personality of sorts. He finds that
from the rest of the world—following his insulting her, she lives there are “two Quentins” who exist: the Quentin born of the
the rest of her life as a shut-in, scorning events of her past she Old South, who involuntarily has inherited the ghosts of the
has no ability to change. After she dies, Mr. Compson writes in a region’s lingering traumas; and the Quentin “preparing for
letter to Quentin that his one hope for her is that, in the Harvard,” who will attempt to leave that past and all its
afterlife, she might be reunited with the absent dead against traumas behind when he attends Harvard that fall and
whom she held her grudges in life—and thus, in dying, gain moves to the North and the post-war culture that region
“actual recipients of the hatred and the pity” that went unreceived represents.
during the years she spent fuming, all alone in her decrepit
This passage thus introduces two of the story’s broader
house and in her bitterness.
animating themes: the power of storytelling to shape a
person’s understanding of and relationship to the past, and
QUO
QUOTES
TES the degree to which the South’s stubborn refusal to
acknowledge the ghosts of its past (the problematic legacy
Note: all page numbers for the quotes below refer to the of slavery, most obviously) keeps those ghosts alive, even
Vintage edition of Absalom, Absalom! published in 1990. for those like Quentin who didn’t experience that past
directly.
Chapter 1 Quotes
Then hearing would reconcile and he would seem to listen
to two separate Quentins now—the Quentin Compson His childhood was full of them; his very body was an empty
preparing for Harvard in the South, the deep South dead since hall echoing with sonorous defeated names; he was not a
1865 and peopled with garrulous outraged baffled ghosts, being, an entity, he was a commonwealth. He was a barracks
listening, having to listen, to one of the ghosts which had filled with stubborn back-looking ghosts still recovering, even
refused to lie still even longer than most had, telling him about forty-three years afterward, from the fever which had cured
old ghost-times; the disease, waking from the fever without even knowing that it
had been the fever itself which they had fought against and not
the sickness, looking with stubborn recalcitrance backward
Related Characters: Rosa Coldfield, Quentin Compson beyond the fever and into the disease with actual regret, weak
from the fever yet free of the disease and not even aware that
Related Themes: the freedom was that of impotence.

Related Symbols:
Related Characters: Thomas Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield,

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Quentin Compson Quentin Compson listens to Rosa Coldfield tell her story
about Thomas Sutpen, his rise and fall, and the havoc he
Related Themes: wreaked on the Coldfield family. It’s a story she’s been
keeping to herself for decades—ever since Sutpen insulted
Related Symbols: her and she returned to her late father’s house to live out
the rest of her days as a shut-in. Throughout her account,
Page Number: 6 Miss Rosa will condemn Sutpen for his asocial personality,
his exploitation of her family, and his underlying cruelty. As
Explanation and Analysis
she makes clear in this passage, she has nursed a grudge
As Quentin Compson listens to Rosa Coldfield tell her story against Sutpen for the past 43 years as a result, and she
about the long-dead Thomas Sutpen and the curse he believes her hatred for him has allowed her to “know [him]
supposedly cast on her family, he thinks about all the awful well,” comparing her supposed deep understanding of
“stubborn back-looking ghosts” who have kept the dead Sutpen to how well a person must know another to get to
alive. Quentin has lived in the South all his life, and though love them. But whereas knowing someone is what leads to
he was born well after the Confederacy’s loss of the Civil loving them, Rosa suggests that the opposite is true of hate:
War and the emancipation of the region’s enslaved people, she suggests that her hate for Sutpen has taught her to
the legacy of that haunting past lives on in a lingering pre- know him well. From the start, then, this passage alerts
war culture and the people of that era who stubbornly try to readers to the bias that is inherent in Rosa’s
sustain a former way of life (“the fever which had cured the characterization of Sutpen: it’s difficult to tell which of her
disease”). claims about Sutpen are more or less true, and which are
One way to read Absalom, Absalom! is as an allegory for the skewed or exaggerated as a result of her hatred for him.
South and its failure to sufficiently acknowledge and repent
for the trauma wrought by the institution of slavery and the
broader plantation culture of the pre-war South. Here, Chapter 2 Quotes
Faulkner lays a framework for that allegorical reading, It was a day of listening too—the listening, the hearing in
implicitly comparing Rosa Coldfield’s 43-years-long scorn 1909 even yet mostly that which he already knew since he had
for Thomas Sutpen with the South’s failure to acknowledge been born in and still breathed the same air in which the church
its loss of the Civil War and the legacy of slavery, clinging to bells had rung on that Sunday morning in 1833 […].
its old, pre-war culture and failing to recover economically
or culturally in the intervening years (“weak from the fever
yet free of the disease”) just as stubbornly as Miss Rosa Related Characters: Thomas Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield,
clings to her hatred of Sutpen decades after his death. Quentin Compson, Mr. Compson

Related Themes:

Maybe you have to know anybody awful well to love them but Page Number: 22
when you have hated somebody for forty-three years you will
know them awful well so maybe it’s better then maybe it’s fine then Explanation and Analysis
because after forty-three years they cant any longer surprise you or Quentin is sitting outside with his father, Mr. Compson,
make you either very contented or very mad. waiting for it to be time to return to Miss Rosa Coldfield’s
house so she can continue telling him her story about the
Coldfield family’s history with Thomas Sutpen and the
Related Characters: Thomas Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield,
grudge she’s held against Sutpen for the past 43 years. The
Quentin Compson
story’s narration traces Quentin’s thoughts as he
contemplates Miss Rosa’s story, the act of listening, and the
Related Themes:
way the South’s past continues to haunt its present. Though
Quentin is listening to Miss Rosa’s story in the novel’s
Related Symbols:
present (1909) and was born well after the Confederacy
lost the Civil War (1865), he feels that “he already knew”
Page Number: 9
everything about the past that Miss Rosa has told him so far,
Explanation and Analysis “since he had been born in and still breathed the same air in

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which the church bells had rung on that Sunday morning in Here, Mr. Compson talks about Rosa’s father’s early
1833,” when Thomas Sutpen first stepped foot in Quentin’s dealings with Sutpen, and how their relationship solidified
hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi. Sutpen’s status in town and enabled Sutpen to achieve the
Quentin’s observation that he “breathed the same air” as so-called “respectability” that Sutpen so desired. While
that which people breathed when Sutpen first came to town Sutpen’s enemies (chiefly Miss Rosa) condemn Sutpen any
links the past with the present. By establishing this link chance they get, Mr. Compson, whose only exposure to
through the metaphor of breathing in air, the novel Sutpen has been through stories his father, Sutpen’s friend,
implicitly suggests that breathing—and, by extension, has told him, presents a more sympathetic portrayal of
speaking or storytelling—is what keeps the past alive and Sutpen. Here, for instance, he suggests that Rosa’s own
well into the present. Put differently, it’s people like Miss father, Goodhue Coldfield, enabled Sutpen’s rise up the
Rosa (and virtually every other elder in Quentin’s life who economic and social hierarchies by putting up Sutpen’s bond
wishes to go on living as they had decades prior, before the after he was arrested during his early days in Jefferson,
South lost the war) who keep ghosts alive, through the despite his probable knowledge of Sutpen’s illicit business
grudges they keep and their inability to keep quiet about dealings.
them. Mr. Compson also suggests that Mr. Coldfield is partly
responsible for the ruin that Miss Rosa claims befell the
Coldfield family following her sister Ellen’s marriage to
Sutpen, as Mr. Coldfield willingly “did permit his daughter to
He might not have gone out of his way to keep Sutpen in
marry this man of whose actions his conscience did not
jail, but doubtless the best possible moral fumigation
approve.” Mr. Compson’s more generous portrayal of
which Sutpen could have received at the time in the eyes of his
Sutpen provides Quentin (and the reader) with an alternate
fellow citizens was the fact that Mr Coldfield signed his
perspective on Sutpen that somewhat contradicts Miss
bond—something he would not have done to save his own good
Rosa’s scornful perspective, adding to the novel’s broader
name even though the arrest had been a direct result of the
examination of the difficulty—and perhaps even the
business between himself and Sutpen—that affair which, when
impossibility—of knowing the full, unbiased truth about
it reached a point where his conscience refused to sanction it,
history.
he had withdrawn from and let Sutpen take all the profit,
refusing even to allow Sutpen to reimburse him for the loss
which, in withdrawing, he had suffered, though he did permit
his daughter to marry this man of whose actions his conscience Chapter 3 Quotes
did not approve. This was the second time he did something like He brought the two women deliberately; he probably
that. chose them with the same care and shrewdness with which he
chose the other livestock—the horses and mules and
cattle—which he bought later on.
Related Characters: Mr. Compson (speaker), Thomas
Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield, Quentin Compson, Ellen Coldfield,
Goodhue Coldfield Related Characters: Mr. Compson (speaker), Thomas
Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield, Quentin Compson, Clytie
Related Themes:
Related Themes:
Page Number: 38-39
Related Symbols:
Explanation and Analysis
Quentin Compson is waiting for it to be time for him to Page Number: 48
return to Miss Rosa Coldfield’s house so she can continue
telling him her story about Thomas Sutpen. As he waits, his Explanation and Analysis
father, Mr. Compson, tells his own account of Thomas While waiting for it to be time to return to Miss Rosa
Sutpen’s early years in Jefferson, Mississippi. Mr. Compson Coldfield’s house to continue listening to her tell her story,
didn’t witness the events he describes here Quentin listens to his father, Mr. Compson, tell his own
firsthand—rather, he is telling a version of the story based story about Sutpen. Mr. Compson has just noted that an
on the story that his own father, General Compson (who enslaved girl, Clytie, who lived on Sutpen’s estate, was in
had been Sutpen’s only friend) told him. fact Sutpen’s daughter with one of the enslaved women he

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brought with him when he first came to Jefferson, Sutpen’s Hundred with his close friend Charles Bon, who
Mississippi. Mr. Compson specifies that Sutpen had been staying with the family for the holidays.
“deliberately” brought the women with him, speculating that Mr. Compson’s telling emphasizes the mysterious quality at
he “chose them with the same care and shrewdness with the heart of the Sutpen story, driving home the point that
which he chose the other livestock.” everything he’s telling Quentin is speculation rather than
Mr. Compson’s emphasis on Sutpen’s “care and shrewdness” fact—and secondhand speculation, at that. Nobody knows
establishes Sutpen’s calculating character, a trait that for sure what Henry and Sutpen argued about that night or
becomes central to his identity as the novel focuses on the what drove Henry to renounce his family and his
obsessive ambition that ruled Sutpen’s life and ultimately inheritance—even Miss Rosa, who as Sutpen’s sister-in-law
brought about his demise. That ambition was dedicated to at the time would have had closer ties to the Sutpen family
fulfilling his “design”—his aim to achieve respectability in the drama than Mr. Compson or his father, can only make
plantation culture of the pre-war South. guesses based on what she “heard” via her sister Ellen,
At the same time, the comparison of two human beings to Sutpen’s wife.
livestock betrays the racism that is inseparable from What’s more, nobody can really know “what she thought”
Sutpen’s design. Yet Sutpen’s racism, the novel seems to about the matter—whether her real opinion about what
suggest, stems not from his inherent hatred of Black people, happened, for instance, aligns with the scornful and
nor from his belief in the superiority of white people. In a embittered story she’s been telling Quentin over the first
way, the novel gestures toward the idea that Sutpen’s half of the book. Thus, this passage emphasizes the
racism is merely incidental—an ideology he must honor not difficulty—and perhaps even the impossibility—of arriving at
out of personal belief but to satisfy his single-minded, the full truth, especially where history is concerned. When
obsessive quest to fulfill his design of achieving success in all one has to go on are the subjective, incomplete, and often
the racist culture of the pre-war South. Of course, conflicting accounts of others, the best one can do is
regardless of what causes Sutpen to espouse racist views, speculate.
he nonetheless does enslave people, including his own
daughter, and is therefore complicit in the inhumane, cruel,
and inherently racist institution of slavery. Chapter 4 Quotes
There was no time, no interval, no niche in the crowded
days when he could have courted Judith. You can not even
That’s what Miss Rosa heard. Nobody knows what she imagine him and Judith alone together. Try to do it and the
thought. nearest you can come is a projection of them while the two
actual people were doubtless separate and elsewhere—two
shades pacing, serene and untroubled by flesh, in a summer
Related Characters: Mr. Compson (speaker), Thomas
garden […].
Sutpen, Charles Bon, Henry Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield,
Quentin Compson, Ellen Coldfield, General Compson
Related Characters: Mr. Compson (speaker), Thomas
Related Themes: Sutpen, Charles Bon, Judith Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield,
Quentin Compson
Page Number: 62
Related Themes:
Explanation and Analysis
While waiting for it to be time for him to return to Rosa Page Number: 77
Coldfield’s house, where she’ll tell Quentin more of her
story about her longstanding grudge against Thomas Explanation and Analysis
Sutpen, Quentin listens to Mr. Compson tell his own story This passage is told from Mr. Compson’s perspective as he
about Sutpen, which he’s pieced together through details continues his version of the Sutpen story as Quentin waits
his own father (General Compson) told him. At this point in for it to be time to return to Miss Rosa’s house. Here, Mr.
the story, Mr. Compson has just gotten to the argument that Compson expresses his doubts about the romance between
Henry Sutpen and Thomas Sutpen get into one fateful Bon and Judith being genuine. According to Mr. Compson,
Christmas Eve. People know what came of the there was simply no opportunity for any feelings of love to
argument—Henry Sutpen renounced his birthright and left

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develop between Bon and Judith. They’d hardly had the his family and fled Sutpen’s Hundred following his argument
chance to be alone together—or at least, Mr. Compson “can with Sutpen on Christmas Eve.
not even imagine [Bon] and Judith alone together.” Instead, Mr. Compson crafts a narrative where Bon, following
one can only imagine “a projection of them while the two Henry’s break with his family, now has Henry in the palm of
actual people were doubtless separate and elsewhere.” his hand: Henry rejected his family out of loyalty to Bon, and
First, this passage offers further evidence of Mr. Compson’s now he has no choice but to stand by the choice he made
bias against Bon. In doubting the authenticity of Bon and and the friend for whom he made that choice. Mr. Compson
Judith’s romance, Mr. Compson implies that Bon had speculates that Bon then felt free to take Henry to the
nefarious reasons for courting Judith. He leaves no room brothel where his mistress and child lived, knowing that
for the possibility that Bon may have felt genuine love for even if the experience scandalized Henry (and Mr. Compson
Judith, even if he did initiate his courtship of her as a means is sure the experience did exactly that), Henry would have
to exact revenge against Sutpen for abandoning him as a no choice but to stand by Bon anyway, having nobody other
child. than Bon in the world after renouncing his family.
There’s also irony to Mr. Compson’s observation, however, As is the case with virtually all the accounts of Sutpen’s life
for everything he thinks he knows about Bon, Judith, and all the novel presents, Mr. Compson’s is mostly
the other Sutpens is itself merely “a projection”—a speculation—he didn’t accompany Bon and Henry to New
speculation on past events based on how he envisioned they Orleans and thus can’t know for certain what the boys did
happened. there, what Henry discovered, or how it affected him.
Regardless, Mr. Compson goes out of his way here to
portray Bon as scheming and “shrewd”—an adjective that,
rather ironically, Mr. Compson normally uses to describe
“[…] Oh he was shrewd, this man whom for weeks now
Sutpen, but in a more positive light. Here, though, Mr.
Henry was realising that he knew less and less, this
Compson elaborately sets up Bon as a duplicitous and
stranger immersed and oblivious now in the formal, almost
scheming villain, suggesting that he exploited Henry, the
ritual, preparations for the visit, finicking almost like a woman
unworldly and impressionable “countryman,” to fulfill his
over the fit of the new coat which he would have ordered for
own design. Mr. Compson’s bias against Bon is clear here:
Henry, forced Henry to accept for this occasion, by means of
where he excuses Sutpen’s scheming and cruelty as
which the entire impression which Henry was to receive from
necessary (and even commendable) to fuel his ambition, he
the visit would be established before they even left the house,
condemns rather than praises Bon for similar behaviors.
before Henry ever saw the woman: and Henry, the
countryman, the bewildered, with the subtle tide already
setting beneath him toward the point where he must either
betray himself and his entire upbringing and thinking, or deny Chapter 5 Quotes
the friend for whom he had already repudiated home and kin That is the substance of remembering—sense, sight, smell: the
and all […].” muscles with which we see and hear and feel—not mind, not
thought: there is no such thing as memory: the brain recalls just
Related Characters: Mr. Compson (speaker), Thomas what the muscles grope for: no more, no less: and its resultant sum is
Sutpen, Charles Bon, Henry Sutpen, Quentin Compson, usually incorrect and false and worthy only of the name of dream.
Charles Bon’s Mistress
Related Characters: Rosa Coldfield (speaker), Thomas
Related Themes: Sutpen, Quentin Compson, Mr. Compson

Page Number: 90 Related Themes:

Explanation and Analysis
Page Number: 115
In this passage, which is told from Mr. Compson’s
perspective, Mr. Compson continues to relate to Quentin Explanation and Analysis
his version of Thomas Sutpen’s life and the tragedies that Miss Rosa continues to tell Quentin the story of her and her
undid the Sutpen dynasty. Here, Mr. Compson speculates family’s history with Sutpen. Here, before the section where
on what happened during the trip to Bon’s home in New she goes into greater detail about her own quasi-romantic
Orleans that Bon and Henry took after Henry renounced

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relationship with Sutpen, she meditates on the nature of herself for it—she regards that single choice as the mistake
remembering in general, and on the impossibility of that doomed her to a life of misery.
reaching anything near to the full truth where history is This quote also gestures toward the difficulty of knowing
concerned. Miss Rosa describes “the substance of the truth about history. Rosa suggests that she “could give
remembering” as instinctual, emotional, and rooted in the ten thousand paltry reasons, all untrue,” for why she stayed at
senses. Memory is ephemeral and fleeting and not Sutpen’s Hundred and that people would believe all of them.
something with an underlying sense of logic: it is “not mind, Without direct access to Rosa’s thoughts, it’s impossible to
not thought.” Because of this, it is more appropriate to know what motivated her to stay at Sutpen’s dilapidated
equate one’s memory of the past to a “dream.” estate and await his return from the war alongside Clytie
Miss Rosa’s meandering and lyrical meditation resonates and Judith. More importantly, Rosa’s brief remark about
with the book’s broader examination of storytelling, history, people believing anything calls into question the reliability
and truth. Throughout the book, various characters relate of her account as a whole. Following the logic Miss Rosa lays
their memories of Sutpen to assess his character and out here, Quentin, as he listens to Miss Rosa tell her story,
construct a story of his life. In other cases, characters like assumes that there is an underlying truth to what she says,
Mr. Compson, who didn’t know Sutpen personally, relate when in fact there’s no compelling reason he should assume
other people’s memories of Sutpen. What results is a she’s telling the truth. As Miss Rosa and Mr. Compson
collage of memories which might superficially seem to form continue to tell their own histories of Thomas Sutpen, more
a cohesive and trustworthy account of Sutpen’s character conflicting information arises, leading Quentin—and
and life—but in reality, the “resultant sum” of these many readers—uncertain about which story offers a more
perspectives is, to use the language Miss Rosa puts forth objective and truthful portrayal of history.
here, closer to a “dream” than the truth. The portrait of
Sutpen that the characters’ combined memories forms
reflects their subjective feelings about Sutpen—their I waited for him exactly as Judith and Clytie waited for him:
nostalgic attachment to the older way of life he represents, because now he was all we had, all that gave us any reason for
perhaps—more than it does Sutpen’s true character. continuing to exist, to eat food and sleep and wake and rise again:
knowing that he would need us, knowing as we did (who knew him)
that he would begin at once to salvage what was left of Sutpen’s
Now you will ask me why I stayed there. I could say, I do not Hundred and restore it.
know, could give ten thousand paltry reasons, all untrue, and
be believed:—
Related Characters: Rosa Coldfield (speaker), Thomas
Sutpen, Judith Sutpen, Clytie
Related Characters: Rosa Coldfield (speaker), Thomas
Sutpen, Charles Bon, Quentin Compson, Mr. Compson, Related Themes:
Goodhue Coldfield
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number: 124
Page Number: 123
Explanation and Analysis
Explanation and Analysis
This passage is an excerpt from one of Rosa’s longer
In this quote, Miss Rosa tries to defend and explain her monologues during which she relates to Quentin the story
choice to stay at Sutpen’s Hundred following the death of of Thomas Sutpen’s rise and fall and the havoc he wreaked
her father (Goodhue Coldfield) and the murder of Charles on her family. Here, she describes how life went on after she
Bon. This becomes a pattern across the sections she started living at Sutpen’s Hundred following Henry’s
narrates. It was Rosa’s choice to stay at Sutpen’s Hundred murder of Charles Bon. At this point, Sutpen is still away
that indirectly led to her brief engagement to Sutpen, which serving in the Civil War, and his estate (like all the estates in
led to Sutpen insulting her, which led to her fleeing the the region) has suffered in his absence. Clytie, Judith, and
estate and living out the rest of her years as an embittered Rosa make do the best they can in Sutpen’s absence, but
shut-in. Thus, it makes sense that Rosa would they exist in a sort of limbo, struggling to find meaning and
simultaneously try to justify her choice and also berate

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purpose in life until Sutpen returns: “he was all we had, all On the other hand, her description of Sutpen as “not owned
that gave us any reason for continuing to exist, to eat food and by anyone or anything in this world” and “a walking shadow”
sleep and wake and rise again,” she says of Sutpen. do seem to have some truth to them, given that they align
As an allegory for the South’s demise in the aftermath of the with Mr. Compson’s characterization of Sutpen as a man
Confederacy’s loss of the Civil War, Absalom, Absalom! who prioritized his ambition over everything else in his life.
features Sutpen as the embodiment of Southern plantation His quest to complete his “design” and achieve
culture. So, when Miss Rosa underscores how little meaning respectability in the plantation culture of the pre-war South
her and the other women’s lives had in Sutpen’s absence compelled him to view others as either obstacles or means
and their hope that he would return and “salvage what was to his desired end, and as a result he failed at—if not avoided
altogether—forming meaningful relationships with others.
left of Sutpen’s Hundred and restore it,” she’s figuratively
In his efforts to rise to the top of society, he ended up living
conveying her wish—her need—for her world to return to
outside of the broader human story.
the way it was before the region’s devastating loss of the
war. This, of course, is impossible, as Sutpen’s failed efforts
to create a new dynasty from the ashes of his first failed
attempt—to initiate and complete a new “design”—will show.
Chapter 6 Quotes
Tell about the South. What’s it like there. What do they do
there. Why do they live there. Why do they live at all […]
I mean that he was not owned by anyone or anything in this
world, had never been, would never be, not even by Ellen, not Related Characters: Quentin Compson, Shreve McCannon
even by Jones’ granddaughter. Because he was not articulated in
this world. He was a walking shadow. Related Themes:

Page Number: 142

Related Characters: Rosa Coldfield (speaker), Thomas
Sutpen, Ellen Coldfield, Wash Jones, Milly Jones Explanation and Analysis
This passage comes at the beginning of Chapter 6, when the
Related Themes: main action shifts to Cambridge, Massachusetts. There, the
novel continues to develop Sutpen’s story, with Quentin
Related Symbols: Compson telling his roommate Shreve all that he’s learned
about Sutpen and about the South. Shreve is Canadian, and
Page Number: 139 as a Northerner, he—like most of Quentin’s classmates at
Explanation and Analysis Harvard—are totally unfamiliar with the culture of the
South, its history, and how the burden of that inherited
This passage is told from Miss Rosa’s perspective. In it, she history weighs on Quentin and other members of the
defends herself against rumors and accusations that she younger generation of Southerners who have grown up
has never forgiven Thomas Sutpen for insulting her, which amidst elders who remember the impact the war had on the
led to her calling off their engagement, fleeing Sutpen’s region and the economic and cultural shifts that followed.
Hundred, and living out the rest of her days as a shut-in. Here, echoes of classmates’ incessant and ignorant
Rosa claims that there was in fact nothing to blame Sutpen questions about Quentin’s home echo in his head.
for in the first place, as “he was not owned by anyone or
anything in this world.” She describes him as “not articulated in The tone of these questions conveys the classmates’
ignorance and glib, irreverent attitude toward the
this world,” comparing him to “a walking shadow” rather than
region—an attitude that Shreve displays in his abundant,
a physical entity tangibly tied to the world. This passage is
joking commentary throughout the book’s remaining
interesting in that it demonstrates both the underlying bias
chapters. To Northerners, the novel suggests, the South is a
that weakens Miss Rosa’s account of Sutpen, as well as the
source of entertainment and morbid curiosity: an
possibility that, despite that underlying bias, she manages to
economically depressed place full of backward
make astute observations about Sutpen. Miss Rosa’s actions
people—former supporters of slavery—who are so stuck in
in the aftermath of the broken engagement and the scorn
the past, forever mourning the death of their backward
she still displays toward Sutpen so many years later (despite
culture and unwilling to move forward into modernity, that
her claims to the contrary) make clear that her falling out
they might as well not “live at all.”
with Sutpen did have a lasting, meaningful effect on her.

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“Yes,” Quentin said. He sounds just like Father he thought,
glancing (his face quiet, reposed, curiously almost sullen) Related Characters: Quentin Compson (speaker), Thomas
for a moment at Shreve leaning forward into the lamp, his Sutpen, Shreve McCannon
naked torso pink-gleaming and baby-smooth, cherubic, almost
hairless, the twin moons of his spectacles glinting against his Related Themes:
moonlike rubicund face, smelling (Quentin) the cigar and the
Page Number: 172
wistaria, seeing the fireflies blowing and winking in the
September dusk. Explanation and Analysis
These are Quentin’s thoughts as he starts to feel
Related Characters: Quentin Compson (speaker), Mr. increasingly out of control listening to Shreve retell
Compson, Shreve McCannon portions of the Sutpen story. In this chapter, the narrative
perspective becomes increasingly difficult to discern as
Related Themes: Shreve’s voice melds with Mr. Compson’s voice and with all
the other voices through which Quentin has gradually come
Page Number: 147-148 to know the history of Sutpen and of the South. The
Explanation and Analysis disorienting quality of this chapter reflects Quentin’s
general anxiety and unease about confronting the South’s
Quentin and Shreve are in their dorm room at Harvard, and
past.
Quentin listens as Shreve repeats back to him the story of
Sutpen that Quentin has just told him. As Shreve speaks, Here, he reflects on the burden of inherited history he’s
Quentin observes how much “like Father” (Mr. Compson) been forced to shoulder, practically from the moment he
Shreve sounds. This is because Quentin himself, when he was born: “you knew it all already, had learned, absorbed it
related the story to Shreve, drew from the language and already without the medium of speech somehow from having
tone that Mr. Compson used when he first told the story to been born and living beside it, with it.” Quentin depicts the
Quentin. Quentin’s observation thus reinforces the novel’s inherited burden of history as something of a curse that he’s
broader examination of the ways in which storytelling been doomed to carry through no fault of his own, but for
influences and creates truth. In the novel, words and speech the mere misfortune he had to be born in a region still
aren’t ephemeral things—they are the primary means reeling from its traumatic, complicated past, which includes
through which people understand themselves and the the Civil War and the economic devastation that followed,
surrounding world. Mr. Compson becomes alive and and from its unacknowledged legacy of slavery.
present for Quentin when he hears Shreve give voice to his
words.
Another important aspect of this passage is its emphasis on
Chapter 7 Quotes
Shreve’s youth—he and Quentin are both first-year college “So he just wanted a grandson,” he said. “That was all he
students and thus should be around the same (young) age. was after. Jesus, the South is fine, isn’t it. It’s better than the
However, when Quentin looks at Shreve, he seems to fixate theatre, isn’t it. It’s better than Ben Hur, isn’t it. No wonder you
on how much younger Shreve appears, noting Shreve’s have to come away now and then, isn’t it.”
“naked torso pink-gleaming and baby-smooth, cherubic,
almost hairless.” This is because Shreve, as a Northerner, Related Characters: Shreve McCannon (speaker), Thomas
has not inherited the weight of history that Quentin has. Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield, Quentin Compson, Mr. Compson
Shreve’s detachment from history imbues him with a
youthful levity: he can forge a path forward on his own Related Themes:
terms and is not beholden to and weighed down by the sins
of his ancestors. Quentin cannot say the same, and the Related Symbols:
burden he carries because of the South’s unacknowledged
legacy of slavery, for one, ages him well beyond his years. Page Number: 176

Explanation and Analysis

But you were not listening, because you knew it all already, had Quentin is at Harvard, telling his roommate Shreve the
learned, absorbed it already without the medium of speech story of Sutpen that Mr. Compson and Miss Rosa Coldfield
somehow from having been born and living beside it, with it, as related to him in the first half of the novel. For the most
children will and do […]

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part, the scenes between Quentin and Shreve consist of Compson, told him (which was based on the facts of
Shreve retelling excerpts of the Sutpen story that he’s Sutpen’s life that Sutpen himself told to Mr. Compson’s
already heard from Quentin and then turning to Quentin father, General Compson). Here, Quentin describes
for clarification that he’s understood everything correctly. Sutpen’s reaction to the enslaved man redirecting him
Shreve also interjects with glib (sometimes to the point of toward the back door of the planter’s mansion, a formative
being disrespectful) commentary about the South that childhood experience that effectively shaped the entire
expresses his amusement at some of the more unbelievable trajectory of Sutpen’s life from that point forward, giving
elements of Quentin’s story and highlights his outsider’s birth to the fierce ambition that would fuel his so-called
perspective (Shreve is Canadian, and so the culture of the “design.”
American South is completely foreign to him). This section of the novel emphasizes Sutpen’s “innocence,”
Here, Shreve comically minimizes the scope and heavy and it’s important to note that this perspective is influenced
significance of Sutpen’s “design”—his lifelong quest to by General Compson’s obvious bias toward his
achieve wealth and respectability in the pre-war South—as friend—compared to the earlier sections that describe
an allegory for the broader rise and fall of the plantation Sutpen from Miss Rosa’s perspective, General Compson
culture of the pre-war South, suggesting that Sutpen did (and therefore Mr. Compson and Quentin, whose
everything he did—his shrewd scheming and his regular understanding of Sutpen comes, in part, from what General
exploitation of others—for the simple fact that he “wanted a Compson has said about him) presents Sutpen in a far more
grandson.” Shreve’s remark reveals the lack of respect and sympathetic light. The particular “innocence” this passage
personal connection he has to Sutpen’s story and what it focuses on alludes to Sutpen’s lacking awareness of the
says about the South—to him, Sutpen is little more than the various social, economic, and racial hierarchies that
villain of a fairy tale, and the South is merely the backdrop organize society and determine who is successful and who
against which that fantastical story unfolds. It’s “theatre” to is not.
him, and he values it only for its ability to entertain and Prior to his humiliating interaction with the enslaved man,
amuse him. Meanwhile, for Quentin, who has lived his whole Sutpen had innocently believed that mere luck determined
life surrounded by reminders of the South’s troubled and one’s place in society and one’s success in life. He had had a
unsettled past, and by people who stubbornly refuse to lay rudimentary understanding of racial difference, and he
the ghosts of that past to rest, the lessons that Sutpen’s didn’t realize that society treats even white people
story teaches take on much greater and much more differently based on their class. But being redirected
personal significance. toward the mansion’s back door enlightened him on both
counts, even if he wasn’t aware of it at the time, inspiring
him to do “what he had to do” to elevate himself above the
“His trouble was innocence. All of a sudden he discovered, impoverished, powerless class he was born into and achieve
not what he wanted to do but what he just had to do, had respectability in the plantation culture of the pre-war South.
to do it whether he wanted to or not, because if he did not do it
he knew that he could never live with himself for the rest of his
life […].” “[…] ‘I found that she was not and could never be, through
no fault of her own, adjunctive or incremental to the
Related Characters: Quentin Compson (speaker), Thomas design which I had in mind, so I provided for her and put her
Sutpen, General Compson, Shreve McCannon aside.’ […]”

Related Themes:
Related Characters: Thomas Sutpen (speaker), Charles
Bon, Eulalia Bon
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number: 178

Explanation and Analysis Related Symbols:

This passage comes from the section of the novel that Page Number: 194
summarizes Sutpen’s origins. It’s told from Quentin’s
perspective, and based on the story his father, Mr. Explanation and Analysis

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This quote is Sutpen’s supposed explanation to General When the narrative, seemingly from Quentin’s perspective,
Compson for why he abandoned his first wife (Eulalia Bon) states that there will “be no deep breathing tonight,” it’s
and their son (Charles Bon). Regardless, Sutpen’s literally describing how the intense cold of the evening
explanation for his choice gives readers insight into Sutpen’s requires the boys to keep the windows shut, meaning they’ll
character, the way he interacts with others, his extreme have to breathe in the stuffy, stale air of the sealed-off room
ambition, and the core values his “design” rests upon. with no option to let in fresh air from outside. But the quote
Sutpen’s description of why he chose to abandon Eulalia and has symbolic resonance, too. Breathing and air are
Bon—an act that is cruel, racist, and morally recurring motifs throughout the novel, drawing attention to
reprehensible—is frank and emotionless. He doesn’t express the physical act of storytelling—to the physical inhalation of
anger at learning about Eulalia’s mixed-race ancestry, and air that precedes the act of speech, and the exhalation of
he explicitly notes that he doesn’t blame or think ill of Eulalia that air as speech flows from the speaker’s mouth and into
for her ancestry—he simply emphasizes that having a the listener’s ears. By emphasizing the physicality of speech,
mixed-race wife isn’t something that will work within his the narration gestures toward the real, concrete effect it
“design,” a detailed plan he’s constructed to achieve wealth has on the world—namely, the central role that speech and
and respectability in the plantation culture of the pre-war storytelling play in creating and maintaining a sense of
South. At this point in history (slavery won’t be abolished for reality.
several more decades) and in this region (the American When Quentin observes that he won’t be able to breathe
South), having a mixed-race wife and acknowledging their deeply tonight, he’s figuratively expressing his dread at
son as the heir to his dynasty would rob Sutpen of the having to continue telling his story to Shreve and, in so
respectability he’s organized his life around achieving. doing, reckon with unsettling aspects of the history of the
Thus, Sutpen does not abandon Eulalia out of cruelty (in South, his hometown. With the window shut to keep out the
fact, he does all he can to ensure that she and Bon are taken cold, there’s nowhere for Quentin to escape to—he must
care of financially) or any underlying racist beliefs. He fully immerse himself in the stifling, tense atmosphere he
simply prioritizes his ambition over his obligation to and Shreve create as they tell, listen to, and try to
others—a choice he makes repeatedly throughout his life, understand Sutpen’s story and the implications that story
and which, in time, will lead to the gradual decay of his has for the broader region of the South.
“design” and to his demise.

That was why it did not matter to either of them which one
Chapter 8 Quotes did the talking, since it was not the talking alone which did
There would be no deep breathing tonight. it, performed and accomplished the overpassing, but some
happy marriage of speaking and hearing wherein each before
the demand, the requirement, forgave condoned and forgot the
Related Characters: Thomas Sutpen, Quentin Compson,
faulting of the other—faultings both in the creating of this
Shreve McCannon
shade whom they discussed (rather, existed in) and in the
Related Themes: hearing and sifting and discarding the false and conserving
what seemed true, or fit the preconceived—in order to
Page Number: 235 overpass to love, where there might be paradox and
inconsistency but nothing fault nor false.
Explanation and Analysis
This quote opens Chapter 8. In a college sitting room at Related Characters: Thomas Sutpen, Quentin Compson,
Harvard, Shreve continues to make sense of Quentin’s story Shreve McCannon
of Sutpen and the South. As the boys work through Sutpen’s
story together, Quentin, a Southerner unacquainted with Related Themes:
the harsh winter climate of the North, struggles to keep
warm. He remains constantly aware of the cold and his Page Number: 253
resultant discomfort, and his thoughts about this
discomfort, regularly interrupt the flow of the main Explanation and Analysis
narrative. At Harvard, in the novel’s present, Shreve continues to
make sense of Quentin’s story of the South. Beginning in

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Chapter 5, the action skips ahead several months and the This passage is Bon’s response to Henry after Henry pleads
setting shifts from Jefferson, Mississippi to Cambridge, with Bon not to marry Judith—Henry’s sister and Bon’s half-
Massachusetts. In the latter half of the book, a different set sister. Despite Henry’s earlier acceptance of Bon’s plan to
of narrators takes over the telling of Sutpen’s story. go through with the incestuous marriage (which, in this
Beginning in this chapter and for the remainder of the book, version of the story, he formulates in order to get back at
Quentin and Shreve take over much of the narration, with Sutpen for abandoning him and then failing to acknowledge
Quentin adding details missing from the first version of the him as his son), Henry rescinds his approval after learning of
story he told Shreve, and Shreve repeating back sections of Bon’s mixed-race ancestry.
the story to clarify certain points that don’t make sense to Here, Bon shifts the blame away from himself and toward
him. Together, Quentin and Shreve develop hypothetical Sutpen. For the past four years, ever since Henry first
scenes to speculate on how some of the murkier, unknown brought Bon home to visit Sutpen’s Hundred (at this point,
parts of the story may have played out. most of the novel’s narrators agree that Bon and Sutpen
In this passage, an unidentified, omniscient narrator knew of Bon’s true identity while Henry did not), Bon has
meditates on storytelling, underscoring its interactive given Sutpen countless opportunities to acknowledge him
nature, which it describes as a “happy marriage of speaking as his son—and Sutpen has failed to do so. Instead, he has
and hearing,” wherein through the act of giving and chosen to protect the longevity and respectability of his
receiving a story, speaker and listener create a mutual “design.” Acknowledging the mixed-race Bon—the antithesis
understanding of truth. Though this truth may be imperfect of respectability in the pre-war South—as a son and heir
and full of “paradox and inconsistency,” it contains “nothing would rob Sutpen of his carefully, precisely constructed
fault nor false.” respectability, destroying his design. Sutpen’s choice to
Faulkner’s language in this passage is as cryptic and full of prioritize his design over Bon leaves Bon with no choice but
ambiguity as it is lyrical, allowing for multiple to get revenge on Sutpen.
interpretations. On the whole, though, the passage seems Of course, this dialogue between Bon and Henry—and even
to gesture toward the creation and compromise involved in the subject of their argument—is pure speculation, and
arriving at the truth. Despite the many conflicting, flawed, there’s no way to know whether this interaction or anything
and incomplete narrative perspectives through which the like it ever played out between Henry and Bon. At this point
novel develops its story of Sutpen, readers—and Quentin in the novel, Quentin and his roommate Shreve take over as
and Shreve in the novel’s last several the narrators of Sutpen’s story, and they take great liberties
chapters—nevertheless manage to piece together a to fill in the story’s many gaps, guessing at the interactions
workable understanding of Sutpen’s character and life. In characters might have had and the knowledge and
this way, and as this passage suggests, the novel portrays motivations that might have driven these hypothetical
the truth not as something people may discover, but rather interactions.
something they settle on as good enough or close enough to The latter half of the novel is more heavily saturated with
the truth to accept as true. extended sections of hypothetical dialogue, emphasizing
how significantly Quentin and Shreve’s efforts to make
sense of the Sutpen saga build a rich, complex world. The
—Yes. What else can I do now? I gave him the choice. I have inclusion of dialogue brings the characters that populate
been giving him the choice for four years. that world to life in ways that earlier narrators’
accounts—Rosa’s and Mr. Compson’s, for instance—didn’t
quite do.
Related Characters: Charles Bon (speaker), Thomas
Sutpen, Henry Sutpen, Judith Sutpen, Quentin Compson,
Shreve McCannon

Related Themes:

Related Symbols:

Page Number: 285

Explanation and Analysis

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Chapter 9 Quotes
actively haunt the living.
Wait. Listen. I’m not trying to be funny, smart. I just want to
understand it if I can and I dont know how to say it better.
Because it’s something my people haven’t got. Or if we have got
it, it all happened long ago across the water and so now there “Yes. I remember your grandpaw. You go up there and
aint anything to look at every day to remind us of it. We dont make her come down. Make her go away from here.
live among defeated grandfathers and freed slaves […] and Whatever he done, me and Judith and him have paid it out. You
bullets in the dining room table and such, to be always go and get her. Take her away from here.”
reminding us to never forget.
Related Characters: Clytie (speaker), Thomas Sutpen,
Related Characters: Shreve McCannon (speaker), Quentin Charles Bon, Henry Sutpen, Judith Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield,
Compson Quentin Compson, General Compson

Related Themes: Related Themes:

Page Number: 296

Related Symbols:
Explanation and Analysis
Page Number: 289
Quentin has accompanied Miss Rosa to Sutpen’s derelict
Explanation and Analysis mansion, where Miss Rosa claims someone is hiding
upstairs (that someone turns out to be the dying Henry
Quentin and Shreve are sitting in their dorm room at
Sutpen, who has been a fugitive for the past 43 years, ever
Harvard as Shreve repeats back the story of the South that
since he murdered Charles Bon). Clytie, Sutpen’s daughter
Quentin has just told him. Shreve has been making glib jokes
by one of his enslaved women, tries to stop Miss Rosa from
throughout, treating the story’s subjects as fictional
walking upstairs to find (and, Clytie seems to fear, murder)
characters and making light of topics that affect Quentin so
Henry. She calls on Quentin to help her after a determined
deeply that he can hardly speak of them aloud. In this
and scornful Rosa defies Clytie, knocking her to the ground
passage, Shreve defends (or at least explains) why he has
when Clytie tries to stand in Rosa’s way.
responded to Quentin’s story the way he has while also
reaffirming his genuine desire to understand the deeper Clytie urges Quentin to convince Miss Rosa to call off
significance of Quentin’s story, at least as well as he can as a whatever plans for revenge she has been nursing for the
Northerner. past 43 years (since Sutpen insulted her). “Whatever he
done,” Clytie argues, referring to her father, “me and Judith
Shreve acknowledges the degree to which the lasting
and him have paid it out.” Clytie is suggesting that Miss Rosa
economic and social consequences of the Confederacy’s
lay the past to rest and move forward with her life.
recent loss of the Civil War affects the culture of the
Whatever resolution Miss Rosa thinks she’ll get from
present-day South and the people who live there. For them,
harming Henry will only ever be symbolic—a gesture that
the past lives on in people who experienced it firsthand and
reflects Miss Rosa’s desire to go backward in time to before
through the stories they tell. Though Quentin didn’t live
Sutpen ever had a chance to enter her family’s life. But
through the Civil War personally, he grew up “among
practically speaking, Sutpen is long dead, and Miss Rosa is
defeated grandfathers and freed slaves” and their inability
only harming herself—and inflicting more harm on
to leave the past in the past, with the defeated grandfathers
others—by holding a grudge all these years and trying to
unwilling to acknowledge their defeat and the freed slaves
make peace with it through more violence.
unable to live a truly free life amidst a region that
stubbornly clings to the racial hierarchy that governed its
pre-war culture.
Shreve cannot sense what growing up in such a confused, “[…] Now I want you to tell me just one more thing. Why do
arrested, and scornful culture feels like because, for him and you hate the South?”
other Northerners, significant, culture-defining historical “I dont hate it,” Quentin said, quickly, at once, immediately; “I
events happened so long ago that there is a clear separation dont hate it,” he said. I dont hate it he thought, panting in the
(“across the water”) between past and present. The North cold air, the iron New England dark: I dont. I dont! I dont hate it! I
has laid its ghosts to rest; meanwhile, the South’s ghosts dont hate it!

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Related Characters: Quentin Compson, Shreve McCannon respond to Shreve’s jokes with deadpan, one-word answers
(speaker), Henry Sutpen, Rosa Coldfield or not at all). Shreve seems to form his accusation that
Quentin “hates” the South from Quentin’s stubborn
Related Themes: unwillingness to engage playfully and happily with his
hometown’s story.
Page Number: 303
Quentin immediately denies Shreve’s accusation. But the
Explanation and Analysis immediacy of his denial strikes the reader as desperate and
insincere—it almost seems like an attempt for Quentin to
This exchange between Quentin Compson and his
convince himself as much as Shreve that he does not hate
roommate Shreve concludes the novel. Quentin and Shreve
the South, when in fact he has demonstrated numerous
have finished working through Quentin’s telling of the story
times throughout the novel that the opposite is closer to the
of Sutpen. The activity took the form of a back-and-forth
truth. Quentin tells his story to Shreve reluctantly, and
exchange wherein Quentin would tell sections of the story
doing so seems to cause him severe psychological pain.
to Shreve, and then Shreve would respond by repeating
Certain parts of the story—namely the parts he personally
back bits of the story to ensure that he grasped what
experienced, like visiting Sutpen’s Hundred with Miss Rosa
Quentin had just told him, peppering his speech with glib
and finding the elderly, dying Henry Sutpen hidden away in
jokes that emphasized his ignorance about the story’s
a room upstairs—he can tell only in disconnected,
subjects and region.
dissociative fragments. Quentin might not simply hate the
Now Shreve poses one final question to Quentin: “Why do region of his birth, but his desperate tone suggests that
you hate the South?” Shreve’s question seems to be based whatever he feels, it isn’t uncomplicated love,
on the manner in which Quentin told him the story of either—indeed, that nobody from the South can avoid
Sutpen (reluctantly and with grave seriousness) and feeling burdened by its complex, tragic legacy.
Quentin’s willingness to joke along with Shreve about the
story’s many unbelievable elements (Quentin would

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SUMMARY AND ANAL

ANALYSIS
YSIS
The color-coded icons under each analysis entry make it easy to track where the themes occur most prominently throughout the
work. Each icon corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart.

CHAPTER 1
On a hot afternoon in September, Quentin sits with Miss Rosa The shut blinds in Miss Rosa’s office and the mourning clothes she’s
Coldfield in Miss Rosa’s stifling, dim room. The blinds to the been wearing for an extraordinary streak of 43 years suggest that
office have remained closed for 43 years. Miss Coldfield is she is stuck in the past—though the reason remains unclear. The
dressed all in black, as she has been for the past 43 years. odd wording of “nothusband” builds intrigue—was there someone
Nobody is sure whom she’s mourning—her sister, her father, or she was supposed to marry but did not?
her “nothusband.”

Quentin listens to Rosa speak. Her voice sounds as though a The narration immediately emphasizes storytelling and listening,
ghost is haunting it, and Quentin’s attention wavers. Her story acts that are central to one of the book’s main themes. It also
forces him to contend with his two selves: the Quentin who will introduces the ghost imagery that recurs throughout the novel and
attend Harvard that autumn, and the Quentin who is haunted represents how the South’s loss of the Civil War and subsequent
despite being “still too young to deserve yet to be a ghost.” failure to adequately acknowledge (and repent for) the slavery that
Having been born and raised in the deep South, this is the fate fueled its pre-war economy continue to haunt the South’s people
to which he’s doomed. and culture.

Miss Rosa is talking about Colonel Sutpen, who arrived here Miss Rosa introduces Colonel Thomas Sutpen, the novel’s
“out of nowhere,” accompanied by “a band of strange niggers,” and enigmatic, complicated central character. Though Sutpen is the
constructed a plantation. He married Miss Rosa’s much-older novel’s main character, all that readers (and many of the book’s
sister Ellen and had a son (Henry) and a daughter (Judith) with characters) know of him comes from secondhand accounts like Miss
her. His children should’ve cared for him in old age, but instead Rosa’s. This makes it impossible for anyone to know the full truth
“they destroyed him or he destroyed them or something.” And now about Sutpen or his origins. The incomplete and subjective account
they’re all dead. of Sutpen with which the novel presents readers comments on the
subjective, tenuous nature of truth and history in a broader
sense—ultimately, all we know of the past is based on hearsay and
interpretation. Note also that this is the first of many instances
throughout the novel where Faulkner employs offensive racial slurs,
a reflection of the novel’s setting and its frank dealing with the
legacy of Southern racism.

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Miss Rosa says she’s telling all this to Quentin because she Miss Rosa’s rather scornful remark about the North’s limiting the
figures he’ll pursue a career in writing—it’s what all the professional opportunities for “Southern gentlemen and
“Southern gentlemen and gentlewomen” do these days now gentlewomen” speaks to the immense economic decline that the
that the North has left them with no other opportunities here. South experienced in the aftermath of the Civil War. Quentin’s
Maybe, Miss Rosa suggests, Quentin can write her story down speculation that Miss Rosa simply wants to tell her story further
and make money off it. But Quentin knows this isn’t why Miss emphasizes the importance of storytelling. It also reinforces the idea
Rosa is talking to him: it’s because she wants to tell her story. that Miss Rosa—like the South as a whole—is stuck in the past and
has old grievances or issues she must repent for or make peace with.

Quentin recalls how earlier that day, Miss Rosa Coldfield sent Quentin’s theory about Miss Rosa’s motivations for telling her story
him a note demanding he see her. The request puzzled suggests an insider-outsider dynamic between the South and the
Quentin. Though he’s known Miss Rosa his whole life, they’ve North. Though the country has reunified following the Confederate
hardly spoken. Plus, she’s an old woman, and he’s only 20. Still, states’ (which included Mississippi, where much of the novel takes
he headed to Miss Rosa’s after lunch that day. Puzzling over place) secession from the Union, the South remains culturally
Miss Rosa’s motivations, Quentin speculates that she wants distinct from the North, and Miss Rosa seems to think that
her story told so that people she’ll never meet will hear it and Northerners don’t appreciate the complexity of suffering the South
understand “why God let us lose the War.” Only through the experienced during and after the Civil War.
suffering and death of Southern men and women “could He
stay this demon and efface his name and lineage from the
earth.” But immediately after thinking this, Quentin realizes
that this isn’t the truth, either.

Rosa’s family is famous around Jefferson, Mississippi (where By setting many tragedies that Rosa’s extended family has suffered
Rosa and Quentin live). Her father, Goodhue Coldfield, was a against the backdrop of the Civil War, Faulkner symbolically
conscientious objector who hid from Confederate soldiers in positions the war as a turning point for the Coldfields and for the
his attic and later starved to death there. Her nephew Henry South as a whole—one marked by loss and violence. That Sutpen,
served in the same company as his sister, Judith’s, fiancé. Henry too, met a “violent […] end” reinforces this point, though it remains
later shot the fiancé at the house the night before the wedding unclear how he died. Curses and fate are recurring motifs
while his sister stood waiting in her wedding dress. Colonel throughout the book, and here, in listing all the tragedies that have
Sutpen himself first came to Mississippi in June 1833 and made befallen a single family, the narrative subtly hints at the idea that
a fortune and a family there—until his life came to a “violent […] they—and, if one takes the Coldfields as symbolic of the typical
end.” Southern family, the South as a whole—are cursed.

When Quentin returns home that evening, he asks his father, Mr. Compson’s comment about Miss Rosa needing a young man to
Mr. Compson, why Miss Rosa chose him to tell her story to. Mr. tell her story “the way she wants it done” is rather vague, but it
Compson says it’s because she’ll need a man—a young one—to seems to gesture toward the idea that the only hope for the South to
“do it the way she wants it done.” And she picked Quentin for move forward and survive in the aftermath of the Civil War is for
the job because his grandfather (General Compson) was the the younger generation to take over and reform the region’s culture
closest thing Colonel Sutpen had to a real friend. It’s her way of and identity. At this point, Miss Rosa is scornfully clinging to her
keeping the family secrets within the family, so to speak. long-held grudge against Sutpen, just as the South is stubbornly
clinging to its old, racist ideals—ideals which have no place in the
post-war, post-emancipation world of the novel’s present.

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The narrative returns to Rosa’s story, conveyed in Rosa’s own Yoknapatawpha County is a fictional region of Faulkner’s invention,
words. Colonel Sutpen “wasn’t a gentleman,” she notes. He but it is based off (and closely resembles) Lafayette County, which is
arrived in Yoknapatawpha County with just his horse and guns, in the north of Mississippi and where Faulkner lived much of his life.
and nobody had ever heard of him before. He sought Here the reader gets a better sense of Miss Rosa’s disdain for
“reputable men” to protect him and a “virtuous woman” to have Colonel Thomas Sutpen, who she’s clear to state “wasn’t a
a child with. Ellen and Rosa’s father (Goodhue Coldfield) gave gentleman” and implies used her family’s good reputation around
him this. Rosa doesn’t fault her sister for marrying Sutpen—she town to achieve the respect he couldn’t gain on his own. Miss Rosa
was merely a “blind romantic fool,” so young and naïve. Later seems to distrust Sutpen due to his being an outsider—the fact that
she’d die “in that house for which she had exchanged pride and she is suspicious of him for not having any roots, rather than
peace,” with the daughter (Judith) who was widowed despite admiring him for his ambition, gestures toward the novel’s theme of
never being a bride, and the son (Henry), “a murderer and the limits of ambition. Finally, note the important—and confusing,
almost a fratricide.” Ellen had told Rosa to “protect” Judith, and perhaps also troubling—detail of Rosa describing Henry as “a
though Rosa was only four years older than Judith—practically murderer and almost a fratricide.” Given that readers already know
a child herself. that Henry killed Judith’s fiancé, and given that there has been no
mention of Judith and Henry having another brother, Miss Rosa
seems to be suggesting that Judith’s fiancé was her and Henry’s
brother—or “almost” their brother. This detail is the novel’s first
explicit mention of the social taboo of incest, which appears
throughout.

Rosa explains that marrying Ellen didn’t make Sutpen into “a Sutpen’s driving goal to become “a gentleman” squarely situates his
gentleman”—not that he’d wanted to be one. He just needed the ambition and the “respectability” he needs to achieve his goals
Coldfield name on a wedding license so the townspeople would within the culture of pre-war Southern plantation culture. The
be forced to respect him. The fact that he needed such language Rosa uses to express her skepticism about Sutpen’s
“respectability” suggested that whatever he’d run away from mysterious past—a past she claims is “too dark to talk about”—could
was “some opposite of respectability too dark to talk about.” allude to Sutpen having some history of illicit behavior in his
After all, a 25-year-old doesn’t go to the enormous trouble to professional or personal life, but it also has racial undertones,
settle untouched land, plant crops there, and establish a gesturing toward the idea that “dark” subjects—and dark-skinned
working plantation for no reason. (i.e., Black) people—are incapable of achieving “respectability” in the
pre-war South (or in the post-war South of the novel’s present,
which stubbornly clings to its racist, pre-war ideals).

Rosa makes no excuses for her choices, she tells Quentin. After Rosa is vaguely alluding to some mistake she made in her past; her
all, she had 20 years to see what Thomas Sutpen had been up unwillingness or inability to describe it outright hints that she’s
to. Not that Rosa witnessed Thomas’s schemes firsthand—the ashamed of it. Many interpret the novel as an allegory for the
raree show he set up was kept secret from the women. Rosa South—specifically, how its decline following the Civil War was the
saw a lot during those years, like Judith’s marriage being consequence of its failure to acknowledge or face consequences for
prohibited for seemingly no reason, and Henry “practically its history of slavery and racism. From this perspective, then, Rosa’s
fling[ing] the bloody corpse of his sister’s sweetheart at the lingering shame about her past behavior symbolizes the South’s
hem of her wedding gown.” Rosa explains that she can’t repressed sense of guilt or responsibility for slavery. The detail of
attribute her mistakes to youth, for nobody in the South was nobody in the South being allowed to remain young since
allowed to remain young since 1861. Many women in her 1861—the year the Civil War began—gestures toward the burden of
position—she was orphaned at 20 and had no money—would inherited history that Southerners bear in the aftermath of the Civil
entertain marrying the man who supported them. Yet Rosa still War. A “raree show” is a peep show—a type of exhibition or
resents her youthful foolishness. performance that audiences view through a small hole.

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Rosa asks Quentin, “Is it any wonder that Heaven saw fit to let The recurring motif of curses and doom features in this passage, in
us lose?” He says it isn’t. Rosa laments Thomas Sutpen’s which Rosa links the tragedies that befell her family with the
choosing her family, of all people he could’ve chosen, to bring setbacks the South incurred during and in the aftermath of the Civil
down with him. She compares it to a “curse” on both her family War.
and on the South in general.

Rosa laments having been too young at the time for the story of Rosa explicitly draws attention to the possibility of her story
Ellen, Judith, and Henry to be more than “an ogre-tale.” When misrepresenting the past—though she is a degree closer to Sutpen
Ellen, before her death, asked Rosa to protect Judith, Rosa was than Quentin is, she was only a child when many of the events she
too young to know that Thomas Sutpen had done enough to his now describes took place. They were but “an ogre-tale” to her even
children simply by “giv[ing] them life.” Now, “It is from at the time, and this fact greatly compromises her ability to present
themselves they need protection.” the past objectively and accurately.

Rosa will always remember the first time she saw Thomas and Ellen’s pale face suggests that she is physically—and perhaps also
Ellen’s children, Judith and Henry, arrive in the carriage. She’d spiritually—unwell. It seems her marriage has taken a toll on her.
been three and had woken up that morning anticipating their Readers should also note that the detail of three-year-old Rosa
arrival, feeling as though it was Christmas. Ellen’s face was equating her sister, niece, and nephew’s arrival to Christmas
white, as though there was no blood in it. reinforces her youth at the time the events took place—and,
therefore, the unreliability of Rosa’s narrative in the present.

Rosa remembers another time she and Mr. Coldfield went to Once more, the details that Rosa is describing to Quentin here are
the house to see Ellen. In this story, she is four and asks her based on memories of early childhood. In light of this fact, readers
father which room Judith is in, when she really means to ask must take into account the degree to which Rosa’s youth—and her
what Judith saw when she saw “the phaeton instead of the enduring hatred for Sutpen—makes her an unreliable narrator. Still,
carriage, the tame stableboy instead of the wild man.” Rosa taken at face value, Rosa’s story portrays Sutpen in a negative light.
knows as soon as she and her father walk inside the house that Mr. Coldfield’s vague suggestion to Ellen, “Think of the children,”
Thomas Sutpen isn’t here. Judith is sick in bed, and Ellen is suggests that Sutpen’s home is not a good environment for them to
beside her. Their father tells Rosa to go find Henry to play with. be in.
“Think of the children,” Mr. Coldfield urges Ellen, to which she
exasperatedly replies that that’s all she ever does. Ellen’s facial
expression is the same as when she and the children first rolled
up in the carriage.

Rosa and Mr. Coldfield go to Sutpen’s Hundred (his estate) Adult Rosa, in her telling of the story to Quentin, suggests that her
once a year to have dinner, and Ellen and the children come to younger self was willing to give Sutpen (and his apparent disinterest
the Coldfields’ around four times per year and spend the day in his family) the benefit of the doubt in ways she no longer can. It’s
there. But Sutpen never accompanies them. Rosa is still young clear that Sutpen did something to shatter Rosa’s positive image of
enough to believe that it’s Sutpen’s conscience that keeps him him, though the details of what he did remain a mystery at this early
from coming. point in the novel.

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Rosa story continues six years after Sutpen first began holding This scene sheds light on Sutpen’s worldview, particularly regarding
his shows. Ellen has known about the shows from the start. racial difference. The detail of his fighting the enslaved Black man
One day, Ellen walks into the ring expecting to see two of suggests that he sees himself and the people he enslaves as equals
Sutpen’s enslaved Black men fighting, but instead she sees her (though, of course, Sutpen is choosing to fight the man, whereas the
husband fighting one of the enslaved Black men. Ellen arrives man must do whatever Sutpen orders him to do). If he truly does
just in time to hear Henry’s scream at witnessing the show, and regard Black people as equals, it complicates his choice to enslave
to see a couple of Black people holding him as he screams and them, suggesting perhaps that Sutpen’s enslaving Black people
throws up. stems not from his inherent racism but rather from his desire to
achieve so-called “respectability” in the plantation culture of the
pre-war South.

Ellen asks the spectators to leave so she and Sutpen can talk in This passage emphasizes how Sutpen’s “own triumph” is more
private. Then she asks Sutpen where Judith is. He claims not to important to him than protecting the welfare of his children. That is,
know, and he isn’t lying—rather, “his own triumph” has blinded his ambition to appear powerful in the culture of the Old South
him to all else. He insists to Ellen that he never takes Judith to (reinforcing the racial hierarchy by forcing his enslaved men to fight
see the shows—only Henry. Ellen wishes she could believe him. one another and then fighting them himself) is more important than
In the present, Rosa explains to Quentin that she didn’t actually shielding Judith and Henry from witnessing such violence and
witness this scene—she wasn’t there to see Judith and a young injustice. Of course, Rosa’s admission that she didn’t actually
Black girl (Clytie) watching the fights from the loft window witness this scene calls her claims into question.
above.

CHAPTER 2
The summer air smells of wistaria. It’s twilight, and Quentin sits This passage, which is told form Mr. Compson’s perspective,
outside with his father, Mr. Compson, waiting for it to be time portrays Sutpen in a more positive light than the passages told from
to listen to Miss Rosa. Mr. Compson describes to Quentin the Miss Rosa’s perspective in the previous chapter. Mr. Compson
occasion of Colonel Sutpen’s arrival. In Mr. Compson’s telling, depicts Sutpen as an enigma of mythic proportions—he
Sutpen arrives in town on a Sunday morning in June. The bells romanticizes Sutpen for his mysterious past where Rosa condemns
ring as everyone exits church. From across the village square, him.
men gathered around Holston House, the town inn, to see a
stranger’s arrival. They whisper his name to one another:
Sutpen.

Sutpen is 25 when he arrives in Jefferson, but this is impossible Sutpen is a mystery to the people of Jefferson, and they hold this
to tell, as he’s so thin and ill-looking. He has a room in the against him. They don’t know his age, where he comes from, or what
Holston House and leaves early each morning, though nobody he does all day. That he arrives in Jefferson thin and ill-looking, and
knows where he goes. He never drinks at the Holston House the fact that he doesn’t drink at the Holston House because he
bar, and it’s only years later that General Compson (Quentin’s cannot afford to, suggests that he comes from modest means—at
grandfather) learns that this is because he had no money to pay this point, he’s a far cry from the wealthy landowner Miss Rosa
for drinks. The only place the townspeople can interact with knew him to be. Thus, Faulkner establishes the Sutpen saga as the
Sutpen is in the lounge. story of a man’s ambition and determination to make a name for
himself—and, it seems, given Rosa’s earlier allusion to Sutpen’s
“violent” demise, the limitations of that ambition to ensure his
success.

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Later, the townspeople find out that Sutpen has bought 100 With the purchase of an enormous parcel of land and plans to
square miles of untouched land in town from a Chickasaw construct a mansion, Sutpen’s quest to achieve “respectability,” as
Indian agent, which he paid for with Spanish coin. Not long Rosa puts it, is underway. Meanwhile, Sutpen’s comings and goings
after, he leaves town and returns with a man with a “harried continue to be strange and mysterious—it’s unclear where he got
Latin face,” an architect he’s hired to build the house who the Spanish coin to pay for the land or how he managed to find an
apparently comes from Martinique. The man survives on architect willing (or perhaps forced) to work for two years with no
venison and lives in a tent for two years, as Sutpen doesn’t pay pay. The more details the reader learns about Sutpen, the more a
him. picture starts to emerge of a man who is willing to forgo personal
morals and basic human decency to establish himself and create a
dynasty.

Stories about “Sutpen’s wild negroes” spread after people This passage, which describes a seeming urban legend about
observe a band of Sutpen’s enslaved men, who speak no “Sutpen’s wild negroes,” reveals a number of key details about
English, chase a deer into a swamp. The men were desperate Sutpen’s character. Though he enslaves people, the fact that he
for a meal after going days without food. General Compson doesn’t raise his voice to these men and exercises “forbearance”
once told his son, Quentin’s father, that Sutpen didn’t raise his rather than controlling them “by brute fear” suggests that he sees
voice to his enslaved men—instead, he controlled them by them, in some regard, as equals (though, of course, regardless of
“forbearance rather than by brute fear.” It takes Sutpen and his how Sutpen treats or thinks of the men, it doesn’t excuse the
20 enslaved men two years to complete the mansion, which is inhumanity of the act of owning other humans as property). In turn,
located 12 miles from Jefferson in a grove of cedar and oak this suggests that his motivation for enslaving people isn’t
trees. The house remains empty and unpainted for three years, necessarily an underlying sense of racism and entitlement—instead,
puzzling the townspeople. his enslaving the men seems to be yet another way in which
Sutpen’s ambition (his drive to achieve respect in the culture of the
pre-war South) is so great that he’s willing to forgo his personal
morals and basic human decency to achieve it.

Not long after, Sutpen starts to invite men to his land, Sutpen’s Sutpen’s invitation to local men seems to represent the next phase
Hundred, to hunt, drink, play cards, and camp out in the empty of his quest to achieve respectability in the South—later in the novel,
rooms of his mansion. On rare occasions, he orders his General Compson will refer to this quest as Sutpen’s “design.” At this
enslaved men to fight, sometimes participating in the fights point, the reason for Rosa’s deep hatred of Sutpen becomes clearer:
himself. This goes on for three years, during which Sutpen also it seems (in this telling of Sutpen’s story, at least) that Sutpen used
plants seed cotton, which General Compson loaned him. Rosa’s family as a means to an end, marrying Rosa’s older sister
General Compson also offered to lend Sutpen money for Ellen not out of love but to solidify his standing in town through the
furniture for the mansion, but Sutpen declined the offer. The Coldfield family’s shining reputation.
women in town guess what Sutpen’s next goal will be: finding a
wife. They start to assess the young women around town to
predict which woman’s dowry Sutpen will covet to achieve the
“respectability” that Miss Rosa believes is his main goal.

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Sutpen begins the next “phase” of his plan three years after the Sutpen’s ambition leads him to objectify people, treating people as
mansion’s completion, walking into the Methodist church and means to an end—he sees the Coldfield family as the key to the next
selecting Goodhue Coldfield as someone he can use to “phase” of his plan rather than as future in-laws. The detail of
successfully complete his next project. The decision shocks the villagers struggling to “think of love in connection with Sutpen”
town at first, as Mr. Coldfield is a merchant of modest means reinforces this point, underscoring Sutpen’s disconnection from
and seemingly has little to offer Sutpen. Then they remember others.
that he has a daughter of marriageable age, Ellen, though the
villagers find it hard to “think of love in connection with Sutpen.”
From that day forth, no more hunting parties gather at Sutpen’s
Hundred. Now, they only see Sutpen around town, and he’s no
longer “loafing, idling.” Instead, he visits Mr. Coldfield’s store.

Sutpen then abruptly leaves Jefferson for the second time. Sutpen continues to be an enigmatic figure—he returns to town with
However, things are different upon his second return, which newly acquired wealth, yet nobody can say exactly how or where he
happens a few months after his departure: now, he returns as got it. This glaring gap in Sutpen’s story reinforces how unreliable
“a public enemy” due to the many luxury goods he brings with the novel’s presentation of Sutpen is in general: everything it
him. Through rumors, they hear that he acquired these things presents as truth about him is in fact rumor and speculation.
through shady business dealings.

One day, the sheriff and a group of men head to Sutpen’s The detail of Sutpen’s arrest immediately after proposing to Ellen
Hundred to arrest Sutpen, figuring he must have made his underscores the cold convenience of their marriage: aside from the
fortune illegally. On their way there, they encounter Sutpen bouquet of flowers Sutpen brings with him (which itself seems a
headed into town. They accompany Sutpen into town and rather shallow, empty gesture rather than a symbol of Sutpen’s
confront him on the village square. Sutpen removes his new hat genuine affection for Ellen), the proposal is wholly devoid of
and uses it to gesture grandly in the posse’s direction. Then, romance. Sutpen is merely executing his grand plan to be successful.
with a bouquet of flowers in hand, he marches inside Mr. Having successfully proposed to Ellen, his subsequent
Coldfield’s house and remains there for a long time. When he imprisonment is merely a temporary bump along the way to his
emerges, he’s no longer carrying the flowers. He proposed to ultimate goal of wealth, fame, and success.
Ellen, but the crowd arrests him on the spot and so doesn’t
learn this detail until later. General Compson and Mr. Coldfield
go to the jail later to pay Sutpen’s bond and free him.

Ellen and Sutpen’s wedding takes place in the Methodist It’s still not entirely clear what illicit business dealings Sutpen was
church in June of 1838, exactly five years after Sutpen first involved in. The withholding of information recurs throughout the
arrived in Jefferson. Sutpen’s arrest was the direct result of novel, which assembles its portrait of Sutpen and his life little by
business dealings in which Mr. Coldfield joined him, though little, with bits and pieces of often contradictory information. This
Coldfield pulled out once his “conscience refused to sanction it” passage also reveals some of its narrator’s (General Compson, via
any longer. Still, Mr. Compson stresses in his telling, Mr. Mr. Compson) bias, presenting a somewhat sympathetic portrayal
Coldfield allows his daughter to marry this man of whom he of Sutpen by criticizing Mr. Coldfield. Effectively, the narrator is
doesn’t approve. suggesting that while Sutpen may have wronged the Coldfield
family, Mr. Coldfield brought his family’s misery upon himself by
allowing his daughter to marry a man he knew had dubious morals.

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Ellen cries at the wedding. It’s a grand affair, something “the Sutpen’s secret desire for a grand, showy wedding despite his
aunt” convinced Mr. Coldfield to fund. Sutpen didn’t ask for a outward show of indifference reveals more about his character. His
big wedding but welcomed it, wanting everyone to see “the chief concern is doing whatever it takes to achieve a high status and
stainless wife and the unimpeachable father-in-law” he’s reputation in the pre-war South’s plantation culture. He wants a
gained. Still, on the outside, he feigns disapproval, and in the grand, showy wedding because it gives him a chance to flaunt “the
end it’s Ellen’s tears and the aunt’s persuasiveness that make stainless wife and the unimpeachable father-in-law”—his tickets to
Mr. Coldfield agree to fund the elaborate affair. the esteemed reputation he so desires.

The night before the wedding, the aunt goes to every house in The townspeople’s seeming boycott of the ceremony makes their
town and demands that the townspeople attend the wedding, animosity toward Sutpen abundantly clear. Though he’s ingratiated
hysterically daring them not to come. The next day, a large himself with a well-respected family in town—and therefore has
crowd gathers outside the church, but only 10 people enter to himself joined the town’s well-respected ranks—that doesn’t mean
attend the ceremony. Ellen pretends not to notice—perhaps the town has to like him.
out of pride.

After Ellen exits the church, people throw clumps of dirt at her, This passage further establishes Sutpen’s ambition as an isolating,
and the crowd watches as she “shrink[s] into the shelter of antisocial project. Though his marriage into the Coldfield family has
[Sutpen’s] arm.” Sutpen leads Ellen into the carriage. Nobody allowed him to join the town’s well-respected ranks, it doesn’t
throws anything else. Mr. Compson, in the present, suspects guarantee that the townspeople will like him. And Sutpen is fine
that Ellen likely erased her memory of that evening with all her with this—it’s ambition he’s after, not human connection. This scene
tears. foreshadows the toll the marriage will take on Ellen, though—when
she “shrink[s] into the shelter of [Sutpen’s] arm,” she symbolically
turns away from the town and the sense of community and
connection it represents and toward the isolation and coldness she’ll
endure throughout her marriage to Sutpen.

CHAPTER 3
Mr. Compson continues his telling of Sutpen’s story. He Rosa directs the majority of her ire toward Sutpen, but this passage
explains that Rosa went to live with Judith at Sutpen’s Hundred reveals (insofar as the reader can trust the veracity of Mr.
after Mr. Coldfield died in 1864. It had been Ellen’s dying wish Compson’s version of events) that there were many other aspects of
(she died in 1863) that Rosa, who was then 20, “save” Judith her life that may have contributed to the bitterness and scorn she
(who is, in fact, years older than Rosa) “from the family’s doom.” feels as an adult. Yet the fact that Ellen was already married to
Ellen had felt Sutpen was determined to carry out this “doom.” Sutpen and had children with him by the time Rosa was born lends
Rosa was born well after Ellen married and had children, and symbolic weight to her sense that Sutpen has doomed her and her
Rosa and Ellen’s parents weren’t expecting Rosa and didn’t family—her entire existence has been clouded by the influence he
really want her. Rosa’s mother died in childbirth, and Rosa was has exerted over her family.
made to feel guilty about it her whole life. The spinster aunt,
who continued to take “revenge” on the town for the debacle of
Ellen’s wedding, raised Rosa. Until she moved to Sutpen’s
Hundred, Rosa lived alone in the house with her father and
hated him. Meanwhile, Ellen gradually turned into a shadow of
her former self.

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Rosa, Mr. Compson suggests, may have seen Mr. Coldfield’s Mr. Compson speculates on what may have motivated Rosa to
death as “fate itself supplying her with the opportunity to move to Sutpen’s Hundred, reinforcing the superstitiousness that is
observe her sister’s dying request.” Mr. Compson explains that so characteristic of her. Mr. Compson’s version of events also calls
Sutpen returned in 1866 to find Rosa living there with Judith into question the veracity of Rosa’s account—Rosa speaks with
and Clytie (short for Clytemnestra, the daughter Sutpen had authority about Sutpen, yet this passage suggests that she really
with one of the enslaved women he brought with him on his saw very little of him, at least as a child.
initial journey to Jefferson). Rosa had only seen Sutpen a
number of times in her young life, but when she saw him that
day in 1866, she recognized his “ogre-face.”

Mr. Compson shifts his focus to Rosa’s childhood visits to Rosa speaks with great authority on her family and Sutpen, yet in
Sutpen’s Hundred with her spinster aunt. During these visits, truth she rarely saw her sister, her sister’s husband, or her sister’s
Rosa is ordered to play with her niece and nephew (who are children. Knowing this, it’s difficult to say whose account—Mr.
older than her). On the four or five times per year that Ellen Compson’s or Rosa’s—comes closer to the truth. Both are similarly
would visit Mr. Coldfield’s house with Judith and Henry, the biased by their personal relationship with and distance from the
spinster aunt would create an atmosphere of “conspiracy,” in family. Meanwhile, Mr. Compson suggests that Rosa’s poor opinion
which Mr. Coldfield was on one side and Sutpen was on the of Sutpen came not from her rare firsthand encounters with him,
other. Sutpen doesn’t realize he is the “foe,” though, for he but rather from the things she heard about him through others—in
never accompanies his family on these visits. Nobody really this case, through the spinster aunt. Thus, the narration reinforces
knows why he doesn’t attend these visits. It’s possible that Miss the flimsiness of history’s objectivity.
Rosa’s explanation (which she got from the spinster aunt) is
correct: that Sutpen no longer feels obligated to humor Mr.
Coldfield now that he’s gotten everything he needed out of him.

By the time Rosa is 10, the spinster aunt has run away, and so Miss Rosa’s account portrays Sutpen as the only character who
Rosa visits Sutpen’s Hundred once per year with her prioritizes his pride and ambition over his personal obligations to his
father—Mr. Coldfield insists on it, though Rosa doesn’t know family, yet here Mr. Compson suggests that Rosa’s own father had
why. In truth, Mr. Coldfield is growing increasingly concerned similarly ulterior motives for visiting Sutpen’s Hundred—he wanted
that Sutpen will disclose to his children the details of the shady to guard his reputation.
business he and Mr. Coldfield got into together. Mr. Coldfield
wears his suit on these visits, which he otherwise wears once a
week.

One year, the visits simply stop, though it’s never clear to Rosa In this passage, Mr. Compson reinforces the reliability issues with
why. Mr. Coldfield never explains his decision. It could be that Rosa’s account of Sutpen’s life, underscoring how young she was
there’s no point now that Judith and Henry are grown up and when so many events she purports to describe with authority took
Henry is away at college in Oxford, Mississippi. place—and therefore how unable to understand them she was.

Rosa won’t see Sutpen again for many years, but she sees a lot Rosa’s story portrayed Sutpen in a negative, even supernatural light,
more of Judith and Ellen. Ellen is in her late thirties now and suggesting that he cursed Ellen, yet here Mr. Compson suggests that
thriving, having finally accepted what’s become of her life. She perhaps Ellen wasn’t as miserable as Rosa thought she
and Judith frequently head into town, and they sometimes visit was—perhaps she married him seeking to “escape[] reality” and has
the Coldfield house. Rosa can’t figure out which of them is “the therefore gotten what she wanted.
most unreal”: Ellen, “the adult who had escaped reality into a
bland region peopled by dolls,” or Judith, who also seems
detached from reality, though in a different way than Ellen.

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The summer that Judith is 17, she and Ellen head to Memphis This is the novel’s first explicit mention of Charles Bon, a character
to buy Judith clothing for her trousseau. This is the year after who will be at the heart of the story’s central conflict, so it’s
Henry goes off to college and after he brought his friend important to make note of him here. The mysterious nature of
Charles Bon, who is from New Orleans, home with him for the Sutpen’s business in New Orleans and Mr. Compson’s emphasis on
holidays. Sutpen is away in New Orleans on business, but only it here suggest that the business may become relevant later in the
General Compson and Clytie ever figure out what he’s doing story as more details emerge. A trousseau refers to the
there. objects—clothes, linens, and other domestic goods—that a bride
assembles for her marriage.

Rosa didn’t see Henry the winter he and Charles Bon were Here Mr. Compson confirms that Sutpen succeeded at his goal to
home from school, though she heard of all the parties that took achieve “respectability” in the South: he’s become the county’s most
place at Sutpen’s Hundred that season. Sutpen is the county’s successful landowner. People don’t like him, but that was never
most successful landowner and cotton-planter at this point, essential to his plans: one can be respected without being liked.
and the town constantly suspects him of shady business
dealings. They don’t like him, but Sutpen doesn’t care about
that, since the town has “accepted” him.

Though Ellen still ventures into town to shop, she stops coming Ellen increasingly isolates herself from Rosa and Mr. Coldfield,
to the Coldfield house, apparently feeling it would be an act of perhaps finding that the new wealth she has as a result of Sutpen’s
“vanity” to drop by and give unwarranted advice about Miss success puts her in a different class from her family and that they
Rosa’s clothes or the house’s décor. It’s 1860 now, and war is are now below her. This calls into question the reliability of Miss
inevitable. Meanwhile, the Sutpen family starts to feel the dark Rosa’s version of events—could her scorn for Sutpen really be an
end their shared “destiny” is leading them toward, though none effort to steer attention away from the simpler and less noble truth
of them are particularly worried about it just yet. that she was simply envious of the wealth and pretension Ellen
gained through marrying Sutpen? This passage also reinforces the
notion of the Sutpen family’s dark “destiny,” implying that Sutpen’s
unceasing quest to achieve wealth and respectability is slowly and
inevitably driving himself and his family to ruin.

Rosa hasn’t seen Charles Bon at this point. Bon is a few years Rosa’s romanticized ideas about Bon comes from Ellen’s sense of
older than Henry and a bit too old to be in college. He also feels him—not any of Rosa’s firsthand encounters with Bon. Readers
out of place in Oxford, having come from the cosmopolitan city should thus not take her opinion of him as fact. This passage also
of New Orleans. He’s cultured, handsome, and apparently establishes a contrast between Bon’s easygoing personality and
wealthy, though he has no parents. He has a natural ease to Sutpen’s grand character—Sutpen’s character is a persona he's
him, which contrasts with Sutpen’s boisterous, grand character. adopted to fulfill his so-called “design.” It’s not natural to him. Bon’s
But Rosa doesn’t see any of this; all she knows of Bon comes character, on the other hand, seems more natural and less learned.
from what Ellen says about him. Ellen seems to consider it a From this, readers may gather that Bon comes from money whereas
given that a romance will develop between Judith and Bon. Sutpen had to work for his wealth and respectability—the former
being a quality Mr. Compson implicitly condemns, and the latter a
quality he respects. It’s curious that Bon is wealthy despite having
no parents, though, and this is something readers should remember
as the story continues to unfold.

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Hearing Ellen talk about Bon, Rosa—“the spinster doomed for The curse/fate motif continues in this section with the rather
life at sixteen”—isn’t jealous of Judith. Nor does she feel sorry contradictory notion that Rosa has long felt “doomed for life,” which
for herself. (When Ellen told Quentin’s grandmother about the narration casts in a puzzlingly negative light—normally, one
Bon, Mr. Compson explains to Quentin, Quentin’s grandmother associates doom with death rather than life. The negative portrayal
felt it sounded like a bad “fairy tale,” though Rosa must have of Rosa’s doom seems to gesture toward the idea that Rosa has
taken the romance very seriously.) Rosa once remarks to Ellen lived beyond her time—that the culture and world she inhabited as
that the Coldfields “deserve” Bon, which causes Ellen to a youth no longer has a place in today’s post-Civil War world. In
“shriek” with amusement, adding that, indeed, the Coldfields addition, the notion that the way Ellen talked about a possible
deserve to receive an “honor marriage” in return. romance between Bon and Judith seemed like a bad “fairy tale”
casts doubt on the authenticity of their romance. Were there really
feelings between Bon and Judith, or was the match merely
something Ellen concocted in her head? It’s impossible to tell what’s
true and what’s not with so many conflicting, incomplete versions of
events.

Ellen has been telling the town all about Judith’s engagement This argument between Henry and Sutpen will be at the center of
to Charles Bon. Then, one day, something happens: Bon and practically all the story’s conflicts. Faulkner intentionally leaves the
Henry leave without saying a word, and Ellen shuts herself in subject of the argument a mystery to build intrigue and to
the dark room and doesn’t emerge until her death two years emphasize how incomplete and unreliable all the various accounts
later. Through Sutpen’s enslaved people, the town learns that of Sutpen’s life are. Given the seemingly strategic introduction of
Henry and Sutpen got into an argument on Christmas Eve, Bon earlier in this chapter, it seems plausible to guess that the
leading Henry to “abjure[] his father and renounce[] his argument has something to do with Bon, but it's impossible to know
birthright” and leave that night. this for sure at this early point in the narrative.

Everyone in town attributes Henry’s abrupt departure to his This passage reinforces that the townspeople of Jefferson aren’t any
youth or his being a Sutpen. Meanwhile, Judith and Sutpen more informed about the story than readers are—the most anybody
continue to ride into town together and act normal, which can do is speculate on what may have happened to make Henry
means the argument can’t have been between Bon and Sutpen. furious enough to leave town and reject his birthright. This passage
The townspeople also assume the argument can’t have been also alludes to possible incest (or incestuous feelings) between
between Henry and Sutpen, either, since it’s common Henry and Judith. This is a recurring trope throughout some of
knowledge “that between Henry and Judith there had been a Faulkner’s works; with the increased chance for genetic mutation
relationship closer than the traditional loyalty of brother and that incest brings, it’s possible to interpret this trope as an extension
sister even.” of the curse/doom imagery that appears throughout the story. The
possibility of incest between Judith and Henry supports the notion
that the Sutpen family is doomed by design.

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Despite Henry’s abrupt departure, Rosa carries on as though The narrative continues to tease the argument or confrontation or
nothing is wrong, continuing to sew Judith’s wedding dress. big event that happened between Rosa and Sutpen to solidify
Then the Civil War begins, and Colonel Sartoris and Sutpen’s Rosa’s longstanding resentment of Sutpen. It seems plausible that
regiment heads to war in 1861. Sutpen is nearly 55 at this Sutpen insulted Rosa in some way, but this can only be speculation
point, and he’s filled out considerably since he first arrived in at this point. The start of the Civil War marks a critical turning point
Jefferson in 1833. But he wouldn’t get fat until later—not until in the story, if one is to interpret the Sutpen saga as an allegory for
something happens with his and Rosa’s engagement and Rosa the South. In that reading, the Civil War would mark the beginning
returns to Mr. Coldfield’s house, never to speak to Sutpen of the end of the plantation culture of the pre-war South—the
again. culture into which Sutpen has made it his life’s goal to be accepted
and respected.

Miss Rosa doesn’t see the regiment leave Jefferson because The narrative establishes a parallel between Mr. Coldfield’s gradual
Mr. Coldfield forbids her from doing so. But it isn’t because decline at the start of the Civil War and the transformation that
Sutpen is part of it—Rosa’s father objected to the war long Ellen underwent following her marriage to Sutpen. This further
before it was actually declared. But once the war actually establishes the story as an allegory for the decline of the South.
began, he seemed to change overnight, just like Ellen had after Though Miss Rosa, in the present day, blames Sutpen for the misery
marrying Sutpen. After troops began to make their way into that has plagued her family for decades, it’s just as logical to link
town, he closed his shop and refused to do business with them. that misery with the onset and aftermath of the Civil War, which
He also refused to let the spinster aunt come back home while decimated the South in a physical sense and also made impossible
her husband was serving in the army. From that point forward, the plantation culture that had formerly been the basis of its society.
he and Miss Rosa lived in the back of the house, with the
windows closed and shuttered.

One morning, Mr. Coldfield learns that people—presumably Once more, the narrative emphasizes the Civil War as a critical
soldiers—have broken into and looted his store. That night, he turning point in characters’ lives—this passage describes how the
heads upstairs to the attic and nails the door shut behind him, war initiated Mr. Coldfield’s isolation. Given that he stops running
and he remains there until his death. Miss Rosa, who before his store and eating at this point, it’s also fair to say that the Civil
now hasn’t had to learn any practical skills (her aunt had raised War is the point at which Mr. Coldfield decides to give up on living
her to believe she is special), takes to heading out at night and altogether. The way the start of the war coincides with the start of
getting enough food to sustain her and her father for a couple Rosa’s father’s gradual decline further establishes the story as an
days at a time. For three years, she hoists his meals up to him allegory for the fall of the South.
through a window, though the quality and quantity of the food
gradually declines. Eventually Mr. Coldfield dies, leaving Miss
Rosa orphaned and destitute, since nobody has kept up the
store since it was looted. Meanwhile, Ellen has been dead for
two years, and Henry has since vanished.

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Though going to live with Judith at Sutpen’s Hundred would be Mr. Compson speaks in extremely cryptic terms here: he implies that
the most practical choice for Rosa, she doesn’t do this at first. “Judith knew” something about the argument that caused Henry to
Though Ellen had asked Rosa to protect Judith, Mr. Compson leave home and reject his birthright, yet he doesn’t give any real
speculates that Rosa must have felt that Judith didn’t need any hints about what it was that Judith knew. The lack of details Mr.
protection. According to Mr. Compson, the real reason Rosa Compson supplies here either hints at the unspeakably horrible
didn’t go to Sutpen’s Hundred right away is that she knew that nature of whatever Judith knew, or Mr. Compson’s own ignorance
“Judith knew,” and “may have known for some time,” where on the subject—or possibly both. This section also fills in another
Henry and Bon had gone and hadn’t told Rosa. And perhaps gap in the narrative, confirming that Henry returned to Sutpen’s
Judith didn’t tell Ellen before Ellen’s death, either. At any rate, Hundred following his initial departure. The chapter ends with
Mr. Compson explains, concluding this chapter of his story, something of a cliffhanger, with Wash Jones seeming determined to
Miss Rosa didn’t know that Henry was alive until Wash Jones alert Judith to something important, though what that something is
rode to Sutpen’s Hundred one afternoon and called out her remains unclear. Given the vague description readers have already
name repeatedly. received about Henry shooting Judith’s fiancé outside Sutpen’s
Hundred, it’s reasonable to guess that Wash Jones is calling to Rosa
to alert her to Henry’s murder of Bon.

CHAPTER 4
It’s still not dark enough for Quentin to go to Miss Rosa’s—not The narration goes into great detail in its description of Quentin’s
as dark as she’d prefer it, anyway. Quentin imagines her waiting image of Miss Rosa. The sequined black bonnet and parasol evoke
for him in her dark, stuffy house, dressed all in black, a sequined mourning clothing, and they also seem akin to clothing women
black bonnet on her head. She’ll have her parasol with her when would have worn in the pre-war era—the scene evokes images of
she emerges from the house to greet him, he predicts. Mr. women exiting church dressed in full skirts that Mr. Compson spoke
Compson appears just then, interrupting Quentin’s of earlier in the novel. Reading the entire novel as an allegory for the
daydreaming to bring him a letter. He suggests that Quentin go South, then, Miss Rosa’s attire reflects her mourning of the pre-war
inside to read it, but Quentin counters that it’s still light enough culture that no longer exists—a culture she has been cursed to
for him to read it outside. outlive and has tried in vain to keep alive. The letter Mr. Compson
offers to Quentin is an important development in the narrative—it’s
the first piece of solid, physical evidence that Quentin has received
that is closer to the truth of the Sutpen story. Up to this point, he’s
had to rely on hearsay alone.

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Mr. Compson, still holding the letter, sits with Quentin on the This passage somewhat calls into question the truthfulness of Mr.
veranda. Continuing his story about the Sutpen saga, he muses Compson’s version of the Sutpen story. He’s making fairly bold
that Henry gave up his birthright and financial security out of claims about what Henry learned about Bon and how—indeed, even
love for Bon. Bon was “at least an intending bigamist even if not if—that knowledge motivated his decision to murder Bon. Readers
an out and out blackguard,” and Judith would find a picture of should remember that neither Mr. Compson nor his father
Bon’s wife and child on his dead body. And out of that love, witnessed these events and are merely speculating about what they
Henry chose to believe that what his father said about Bon think may have happened between Bon, Henry, and Sutpen. This
wasn’t true. Even if in his heart he knew his father couldn’t have passage also brings back the language of curses and fate, with Mr.
made up what he said about “the woman and the child,” he Compson’s speculation that Henry must have known “that he was
chose to continue deluding himself about Bon as the two of doomed and destined to kill.” This language indicates that
them rode off together Christmas morning. Could he really something in Sutpen’s behavior has “doomed” future generations of
have expected to find anything other than a confirmation of his Sutpens to misery, violence, and suffering. Read as an allegory for
father’s accusation in New Orleans? Henry must have known, the South, then, Henry’s fear reflects the disarray and trauma that
Mr. Compson insists, “that he was doomed and destined to kill.” the South’s future generations inherit from its history of slavery and
its failure to acknowledge or atone for its practice of slavery.

It was Henry, Mr. Compson explains, who held all the cards. Mr. Compson seems to insinuate that the reason Henry killed Bon
Judith didn’t know what happened in the study on Christmas was that he found out Bon had another family—the woman and
Eve and wouldn’t know until they brought in Bon’s body and child in the photograph—and was attempting to commit bigamy by
she saw the photograph of the woman and child. All she had to marrying Judith. Henry would’ve condemned this for the sake of
go on was the letter that Henry left for her to find after he and Judith, but also out of respect for the Sutpen name in a broader
Bon had left, in which he forbade the marriage. Nor did Henry sense. Mr. Compson also suggests that Sutpen’s business in New
tell Bon what Sutpen had told Henry about Bon. And anyway, Orleans involved discovering the existence of Bon’s supposed other
Henry wouldn’t need to tell Bon that Sutpen had been to New family. Of course, this doesn’t answer the question of how Sutpen
Orleans and knew of Bon’s secret—Sutpen’s knowledge would would have known to travel to New Orleans to dig up dirt about
have been clear to Bon by Sutpen’s reaction to the Bon—something isn’t quite lining up here, and Mr. Compson’s story
announcement of his intention to marry Judith. isn’t filling in the blanks as adequately as he seems to wish it would.

Bon, like Sutpen, arrived seemingly without a past, and he The idea of building a life from nothing—from making a new name
mystifies Mr. Compson. Though he easily charmed Judith and for oneself outside of history—is a recurring theme throughout the
Henry, he immediately became “completely enigmatic” and novel. Given Sutpen’s and Bon’s demises, Faulkner seems to suggest
“withdrawn” the moment he realized Sutpen would try to that this isn’t possible: nobody can exist outside of history or the
prohibit Bon’s marriage to Judith. broader human story. Note also how Mr. Compson’s portrayal of
Bon is far less sympathetic or romantic than Rosa’s—he seems
convinced that Bon was concealing something nefarious from the
Sutpen clan, and he is suspicious rather than admiring and curious
about Bon’s “enigmatic” and “withdrawn” character.

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Bon loved Judith—though, Mr. Compson adds, Sutpen would Mr. Compson is portraying Bon as an opportunist. He’s suggesting
learn that Bon had professed his love to others before Judith. that Bon isn’t marrying Judith because he loves her—rather, he is
Mr. Compson explains that Judith kept the letter he is now marrying her to accomplish some ends, though it’s not entirely clear
holding and gave it to Quentin’s grandmother after Bon’s what these ends are. He believes that Judith and Henry’s love of
death. She did this after destroying the other letters he sent Bon was the result of Bon manipulating them rather than genuine
her (though he admits that it’s unclear whether Judith was the love. Interestingly, this is similar to Miss Rosa’s sense of Sutpen: she
one who destroyed these other letters). Judith would’ve believes he married into the Coldfield family to achieve
destroyed the letters after she discovered “in Bon’s coat the respectability, not out of love for Ellen. Mr. Compson believes the
picture of the octoroon mistress and the little boy.” Judith must same is true of Bon, yet he doesn’t acknowledge the similarities
have loved Bon as much as Henry did—in fact, it’s unclear to between this portrayal of Bon and Sutpen’s arc—this reveals his bias
Mr. Compson which sibling loved Bon more. Mr. Compson toward Sutpen and reminds readers not to take his version of events
suggests that Bon “seduced [Henry] as surely as he seduced as objective fact. Finally, the strong connection between Bon and
Judith,” impressing Henry and all the other “planters’ sons” the Sutpen siblings is curiously intense, and it hints at a deeper
whom Bon allowed in his inner circle. connection among the three characters than the narrative has yet
to reveal. Finally, note the novel’s use of the word “octoroon,” an
outdated and derogatory term used to describe a person of one-
eighth Black ancestry.

Henry, Mr. Compson declares, was “the provincial, the clown This passage features more hints at possible incest (or at least
almost,” who got carried away and acted irrationally. Mr. incestuous feelings) between Judith and Bon. Mr. Compson, in
Compson ponders whether Henry’s protective attitude toward somewhat surreal, cryptic, and psychoanalytic terms, suggests that
Judith’s virginity may in fact have been “the pure and perfect Henry’s act of killing Bon may have stemmed from Henry’s jealous
incest,” in which Henry “destroy[ed]” Judith’s virginity by killing desire to eliminate Bon as a rival for Judith’s affections. It’s unclear
the brother-in-law. whether Mr. Compson’s speculations have any basis in fact or if he’s
merely trying to impose some cohesive narrative over the tragedy of
the Sutpen family to make sense of things he doesn’t fully
understand. The hint at incest also resonates with the Biblical story
which the novel’s title and general plot allude to: in 2 Samuel, King
David’s son Absalom kills David’s other son, Amnon, for raping
Tamar, Amnon’s half-sister and Absalom’s sister.

Mr. Compson suggests that Henry witnessed the entirety of Mr. Compson here challenges the notion that Judith and Bon had
Judith and Bon’s courtship, for there was no time or some grand, fairy-tale romance, explaining how the couple only saw
opportunity for them to have been alone together during Bon’s each other for 12 days total. Mr. Compson does this to further his
few visits to Sutpen’s Hundred. In total, Bon and Judith saw argument that Bon had nefarious ulterior motives for pursuing
each other just 12 days. Despite this, Henry found it necessary Judith: he’s doubting that Bon and Judith could have genuinely
to kill Bon to prevent the marriage. Mr. Compson expresses fallen in love in such a short period of time and without spending
skepticism that Judith could’ve been so intent on marrying Bon much (if any) time alone together. As such, something about the
despite not knowing him that well. But of course, he laments, romance was feigned—and in Mr. Compson’s version of things, that
“they don’t explain it and we are not supposed to know.” In the feigned love has to do with Bon wanting something from the
equation of Judith, Bon, Henry, and Sutpen, there’s something Sutpens.
that doesn’t add up.

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Mr. Compson continues his story. After Henry and Bon leave Mr. Compson’s theory—that it was learning of Bon’s mistress and
that Christmas morning, Judith doesn’t see Bon for four years. child in New Orleans that compelled Henry to prohibit Bon’s
And during that time, Bon doesn’t send Judith a single marriage to Judith—still holds up. If Sutpen’s goal is to achieve and
letter—Henry forbids it. Yet when he finally does send her a maintain respectability in the pre-war South, then marrying off his
letter saying it’s time for them to marry, Judith and Clytie get daughter to a bigamist would certainly pose a threat to that
straight to work making a wedding dress. It’s at this point that ambition. Still, it’s odd that Sutpen seems to know that there’s
Sutpen sees the real threat the marriage poses to “his old something off about Bon’s past waiting in New Orleans for him to
hardships and ambition,” a threat legitimate enough for him to confirm. Sutpen seems to know more about Bon and his history
travel all the way to New Orleans to prove. It’s unclear how than he is letting on—and more than Mr. Compson (at least in his
long Sutpen had been waiting to go to New Orleans to confirm telling of the story) seems to realize.
what he expected to find there.

In June, after school wraps up, Bon and Henry arrive at Again, this passage reinforces how much is missing from Mr.
Sutpen’s Hundred, planning to spend a couple days there Compson’s version of the story. Sutpen seems to have information
before continuing on to Bon’s home in New Orleans—where about Bon and his past that Mr. Compson lacks. Also, readers
Sutpen has already gone, though nobody knows that’s where should be aware of when the events this passage describes are
he went. (Mr. Compson speculates that Bon must have realized taking place—the narrative jumps around in time, so it’s easy to get
that this is his chance to woo Judith.) Of course, by this point lost in the timeline. Henry and Bon’s visit to Sutpen’s Hundred takes
Sutpen must have already found out about “the octoroon place between their first Christmas visit and the second Christmas
mistress and the child,” but nobody could’ve known about that. visit, when Sutpen and Henry have their mysterious argument
In Mr. Compson’s telling of the story, Ellen goes out of her way (which, in Mr. Compson’s telling, is when Sutpen tells Henry about
to bring Judith and Bon together to encourage the romance. Bon’s other family in New Orleans).
The fact that their engagement survives Bon’s absence
suggests that their romance is real, Mr. Compson allows.

Mr. Compson speculates that if Henry had only gone with Bon Mr. Compson portrays Bon’s death as inevitable. Though he and
to New Orleans instead of waiting until the next summer to join Miss Rosa have drastically different perspectives on the Sutpen saga
him, perhaps Bon wouldn’t have had to die—maybe he’d have (Rosa detests Sutpen, while Mr. Compson is more sympathetic to
reacted as Sutpen had to the revelation of Bon’s other family. Sutpen’s plight), both regard the violence and misery that
But Henry does return, and Sutpen does too, and then the surrounded him as fated, somehow.
events of the following Christmas happen the way they happen.

In Mr. Compson’s telling, after that Christmas, Judith starts Faulkner further hints at Henry’s incestuous feelings for Judith,
sending letters to Bon, and Henry reads them “without suggesting that his eager investment in Bon’s courtship of Judith
jealousy,” and in the process he becomes “the body which was stems from his unconscious (or perhaps somewhat conscious) desire
to become his sister’s lover.” Sutpen, meanwhile, keeps what he to be his sister’s lover himself. Sutpen’s choice to keep the
learned in New Orleans to himself—perhaps hoping that when information he’s learned about Bon (which Mr. Compson assumes is
Bon finds out that Sutpen has learned his secret, he’ll break about Bon’s family in New Orleans) to himself seems to be part of a
things off with Judith. But Bon returns the next year, and Henry bigger plan. As always, he structures his actions—and his
and Bon both write Judith letters once school starts back up. interactions with others—around his ambition. He has some motive
for wanting Bon to break things off with Judith of his own (coerced)
volition, and it has something to do with respectability.

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The Christmas of 1860, Bon and Henry return to Sutpen’s The narrative jumps forward several months to the Christmas after
Hundred. By this point, Ellen has already told everyone in town Sutpen has confirmed whatever he’s concerned about in Bon’s life in
about Judith and Bon’s engagement. Then the outburst on New Orleans—and confirmed how that life would threaten Sutpen’s
Christmas Eve happens, and Henry and Bon leave for New hard-won respect. Henry’s choice to remain loyal to Bon and reject
Orleans the next day. Henry repudiates his family and leaves the Sutpens could suggest that he values his friendship with Bon
Sutpen’s Hundred, though he doesn’t have to—he leaves out of more than Sutpen’s notion of respectability. Of course, Mr.
love for Bon. Mr. Compson guesses that Bon would’ve asked Compson suggests that the truth is more complicated—he thinks
Henry what Sutpen said to cause the fight (though, Mr. that Henry left in order to see for himself that whatever information
Compson speculates, Bon already knows what Sutpen Sutpen disclosed to him about Bon is true, suggesting that Henry
discovered in New Orleans). Mr. Compson thinks Henry could yet choose to reject Bon to uphold the Sutpen family’s honor
accompanied Bon to New Orleans to prove that whatever (which, given Henry’s later murder of Bon, seems to be what
Sutpen had told Henry about Bon was true. happens).

Mr. Compson imagines how Bon would have come clean to Mr. Compson frames Henry’s choice (to side with Bon or to side
Henry—all the “calculation” that went into it. It wouldn’t be the with Sutpen) as a choice between betraying or honoring the
fact of Bon’s mistress and child being Black that bothered Southern code of honor with which he was raised—a code which
Henry—it would have been “the ceremony” that bothered would condemn Bon’s bigamy, especially if, as Mr. Compson here
Henry, “the countryman.” And Bon, in all his shrewdness, would suggests, Bon’s family in New Orleans has Black ancestry. Mr.
be well aware of this. At that point, Henry would have to Compson’s bias against Bon is especially clear in this passage. He
choose: he could honor “his entire upbringing and thinking,” portrays Henry as a naive “countryman” who knows little of the
which had taught him that women were either “ladies or world outside Mississippi. Meanwhile, he depicts Bon as
whores or slaves,” or he could be loyal to Bon, his good friend manipulating Henry, taking advantage of his unquestioning loyalty
and mentor. and general naivete about the world.

Mr. Compson imagines Bon leading Henry to a brothel in New Mr. Compson continues to portray Bon in a negative light; not only
Orleans, scandalizing Henry, and Bon trying gently to defend is he scheming to commit bigamy, but he seems content to abandon
his marrying a woman Henry deems a “whore.” In Mr. his child and the child’s mother. Bon’s claim that his marriage to the
Compson’s telling, Bon reminds Henry that the woman and Black woman isn’t binding reflects laws of the time, which would
child are Black (Bon uses a racial slur to describe them). have viewed interracial marriage as illegitimate. Though Mr.
meaning Bon’s relationship with the woman can’t possibly be Compson adamantly tries to portray Bon in a negative light while
considered a binding marriage. Henry, of Sutpen’s Hundred, extending sympathy to Sutpen, he fails to recognize the men’s
should know this. Mr. Compson then imagines Henry still failing similarities: both revere the code of honor that governs life in the
to accept Bon’s attempt to commit bigamy. pre-war South (in this case, Bon upholds the racist laws that make
his relationship with the mother of his child illegitimate).

What happened four years later, Mr. Compson argues, should The future event that Mr. Compson is alluding to here is Henry’s
have happened the day Bon brought Henry to the brothel. But betrayal of Bon—he seems to suggest that Henry should have killed
it doesn’t happen that way. Instead, Henry waits four years for (or at least rejected) Bon now rather than giving Bon four more
Bon to renounce the woman and child and dissolve the years to decide between the Black woman and Judith. Again, he’s
marriage—all the while knowing that the relationship isn’t a portraying Bon’s death as inevitable rather than the consequence of
marriage and that Bon won’t reject the woman and child. Henry’s deliberate choice to kill Bon (and whatever meddling
Sutpen did behind the scenes to compel Henry to do so).

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Mr. Compson’s story continues. That spring, Bon and Henry “Bull Run” refers to the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major battle
return north to Mississippi. Bull Run has already been fought, of the Civil War, which took place on July 21, 1861, in Virginia.
and they join a company that some of their peers have Referencing this battle orients the reader to when the events of the
organized at college. Henry (in Mr. Compson’s telling) writes to main story are taking place. It also establishes a parallel between
Judith to update her about his and Bon’s situation. Meanwhile, the gradual unraveling of Sutpen’s dynasty and the gradual
Henry doesn’t let Bon out of his sight, fearing that Bon will unraveling of the pre-war South, with the first major battle of the
marry Judith, which will force Henry to acknowledge that he is Civil War serving as the catalyst that initiates the South’s gradual
in fact happy to be betrayed by Bon. For to Bon and Henry demise, and Henry’s choice to remain loyal to Bon over his own
both, Judith “[is] just the blank shape” onto which both project family kicking off Sutpen’s demise.
“what each conceive[s] the other to believe him to be—the man
and the youth, seducer and seduced, […] victimised in turn each
by the other.”

In the present, Judith remains a mystery to Mr. Compson: it’s Perhaps ironically, Mr. Compson fails to consider how unreliable his
not as though Bon tried to “corrupt her to unchastity,” Mr. version of this story is—he seems to believe he’s privy to information
Compson argues. And she couldn’t have known the truth about about Bon that Judith never discovered due to his father’s
why Sutpen prohibited the marriage. Had she known about the friendship with Sutpen. Yet Judith has the benefit of having lived
other woman, she might have solved the problem by murdering this story, even if her perspective is limited. Mr. Compson knows
her. everything he knows through hearsay.

Mr. Compson continues his story. Henry and Bon go off to war, The gradual decline of Sutpen’s Hundred—its owner is gone, and the
and Bon is made lieutenant (though Mr. Compson doubts he enslaved people whose unpaid labor drove its profits have
even wanted the title). Sutpen, meanwhile, has left with his and abandoned it to fight with the Union—symbolizes the failure of
Sartoris’s regiment, and Sutpen’s enslaved people have left Sutpen’s ambition and, more broadly, the decline of the Old South.
with the Yankee troops who passed through. Ellen stays in bed Wash Jones has only appeared in passing thus far, but he’ll be
all day, shut in and waiting to die while Judith and Clytie keep important later on, so it’s important to remember him.
house. Wash Jones and his daughter live in the abandoned
fishing camp in the river bottom.

Ellen dies and is buried under a massive marble monument The narrative further establishes the Civil War as a turning point,
Sutpen brought from Charleston, South Carolina. Then Judith’s both for the story’s main characters and the pre-war South in a
grandfather Mr. Coldfield dies, having starved to death in his more general sense. The deaths of Ellen and Mr. Coldfield reflect the
attic, and Judith likely invites Miss Rosa to come live with her mass casualties the Confederacy suffered during the Civil War,
(Mr. Compson guesses). Miss Rosa declines the offer, albeit on a much smaller scale. The abundance of death also
apparently waiting for Judith to receive a letter from Bon (the symbolically marks the Civil War as a turning point that separates
very letter Mr. Compson now holds). Judith then asks the South as it existed before from the South as it will exist after:
Quentin’s grandmother to keep it—to destroy it, for all she even though many of the novel’s central characters will survive the
cares. She laments how “little impression” people make in life, war, the way of life they’ve grown accustomed to (one characterized
merely “mixed up” with other people, as though they’re all by so-called “respectability”—and made comfortable by their
strings on a loom. Each wants to make their own pattern, and complicity in the practice of slavery) will no longer be possible.
none of it matters—otherwise, whoever set up the loom
would’ve done it better.

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In the present, Mr. Compson hands the letter to Quentin. Quentin’s odd observation that the letter is merely “the intact ash of
Quentin takes it and opens it carefully, as though it’s merely its former shape” reinforces the book’s broader examination of the
“the intact ash of its former shape” and no longer the paper fallibility of memory and the inaccessibility of truth. This letter
itself. Mr. Compson continues speaking. From reading the might contain clues about Bon and Judith’s romance and about
letter, he assures Quentin, Quentin will understand that Bon whatever conflict inspired Henry first to side with and later to
did love Judith, though the letters that came before this one betray Bon, but it won’t tell the full story of everything that
were full of floral and romantic—yet ultimately happened.
shallow—sentiments. Mr. Compson goes on talking, but
Quentin stops hearing him as he reads the letter.

The letter is undated, but from its contents Quentin learns it’s The letter’s 1865 date places its writing at the end of the Civil
1865. In the letter, Bon talks of the hardship and suffering he’s War—and just before Bon’s death. Bon’s cryptic words here seem to
experienced serving in the war. Then he declares to Judith, “We implicitly link his and Judith’s romance (recall that they’ve not seen
have waited long enough.” But Bon can’t say when he’ll be back. each other since Henry and Bon left Sutpen’s Hundred following
Cryptically, Bon describes how the thing that “was” “died in Henry’s argument with Sutpen) with the pre-war South: both “died
1861, and therefore what IS […] is redundancy too […].” But in in 1861,” meaning the engagement has been called off just as the
some ways, Bon counters, he feels that “it has never stopped.” Civil War has made the culture of the pre-war South impossible. Yet
despite this, Bon suggests, “it has never stopped,” meaning Bon
and Judith’s romance has persisted despite the engagement’s being
called off, and the culture of the pre-war South lingers in the
atmosphere of the region despite the Civil War that has threatened
its existence.

Bon’s letter continues, restating that he can’t tell Judith when This notion of being “doomed to live” should sound familiar—it’s a
he’ll be back. He notes that he wrote his letter “with the best sentiment normally applied to or spoken of by Miss Rosa. The
[…] of the new North” which has defeated the South. He language of Bon’s letter is cryptic and vague, but he seems to paint
concludes his letter with a grave declaration: “I now believe Southerners who survive the war as somehow worse off than those
that you and I are, strangely enough, included among those who died fighting in it. Having lost the war and the way of life they
who are doomed to live.” were fighting for, surviving Southerners won’t have a culture or
social structure to organize their lives around anymore. This, Bon
seems to suggest, is a fate worse than death. Again, the narrative
(and in this case, Bon) links Bon and Judith’s doomed romance with
the fate of the Old South.

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In the present, Quentin finishes reading the letter. Mr. That Clytie and Judith make Judith’s bridal veil from scraps of fabric
Compson explains that Clytie and Judith got to work making shows how far the Sutpens have fallen since the war began—in a
Judith’s wedding gown after Judith received this letter. They different world, it would be unthinkable that the daughter of the
made the veil from scraps of fabrics. Maybe Bon showed Henry most successful planter in the county would resort to making her
the letter before sending it, Mr. Compson suggests. But maybe bridal garb with such paltry materials. This passage also alludes to
he didn’t. Maybe he simply told Henry of his plans for Judith, the gate to Sutpen’s Hundred (“the shadow of this post”). In the
and Henry, in response, continued to demand that Bon novel, gates and doorways symbolize the acknowledgment of the
renounce the other woman and her child. Henry (in Mr. past or truth. Throughout the story, characters struggle to pass
Compson’s imagination) would have demanded that Bon not through—or are prevented from passing through—gates and doors,
“pass the shadow of this post, this Branch,” and Bon would have and this symbolizes their willingness or ability to acknowledge or
defied Henry. And all this leads to the point in the story when atone for the past and realize the truth. This chapter ends on a
Wash Jones approaches Rosa Coldfield’s house to announce dramatic, tragic note, with Wash Jones alerting Miss Rosa to
that Henry killed Bon. Henry’s murder of Bon. Interestingly, though there have been
multiple references to Bon’s death, the novel has yet to describe the
scene of Bon’s murder as it occurred; all that’s known of it comes
from others’ accounts.

CHAPTER 5
The narrative switches back to Rosa telling her story to Readers should note how the tone of the story shifts as Rosa takes
Quentin, picking up after Wash Jones tells her about Bon being over as its narrator. Her striking bitterness, though perhaps
killed. Rosa describes how she gathered her meager belongings warranted, casts doubt on the veracity of her accounts of the events
and traveled in the buggy 12 miles to Sutpen’s Hundred, which that follow Bon’s death. Notably, this passage suggests that others
she hadn’t done since Ellen died two years ago. She rode “beside spread rumors about Rosa wanting to take over Ellen’s old
that brute” who wasn’t even allowed inside the house before bed—meaning she wanted to be Sutpen’s next wife—yet Wash
Ellen died, and “whose granddaughter was to supplant” Rosa Jones’s granddaughter apparently took that role from her. Rosa’s
from her place in Ellen’s bed (which, according to gossip, was a defensiveness could suggest that these rumors aren’t as far from the
place Rosa coveted). truth as Rosa would like to claim they are, though, of course, readers
have no way of knowing this for sure.

But the people who talk about her can’t describe what Rosa did Rosa explicitly notes that town rumors can’t be taken as fact, either:
once she arrived at Sutpen’s Hundred—how she approached in truth, only the people who were in Sutpen’s “rotting” mansion
the “rotting” place, its dilapidated, empty state somehow “more that day know what happened, and only Rosa knows what was
profound than ruin.” In her story, Rosa approaches Sutpen’s going through her mind to convince her to finally move to Sutpen’s
mansion and yells out to Henry, demanding to know what he’s Hundred. Clytie’s “Sutpen coffee-colored face” is a nod to Clytie’s
done. She sees Clytie, with her “Sutpen coffee-colored face,” like mixed-race background: she’s the daughter of Sutpen and one of his
that of a “sphinx.” Then Rosa calls out to Judith but receives no enslaved women. In comparing Clytie’s expression to that of a
answer. “sphinx,” mythological creatures known to tell cryptic riddles, Rosa
implies that Clytie is withholding information, possibly about
Henry’s whereabouts, or perhaps what prompted Henry to shoot
Bon, or perhaps both.

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Rosa starts to head upstairs, where she believes she’ll find This scene mirrors a scene that will happen much later in the book.
Bon’s bloodied corpse on “that sheetless bed.” Clytie urges her Readers should make note of the detail of “that sheetless bed”
to stop, and Rosa feels it is the house itself, not Clytie, talking to upstairs and the image of Clytie trying to prevent Rosa from walking
her. She is struck by Clytie addressing her by name—Rosa—as up the stairs to find Bon or Henry—they’ll be important later in the
she’d do when Rosa was a child. Many people call Rosa that story. Rosa’s discomfort at Clytie’s touch, her reluctance to touch
because they still see her as a child, but Rosa senses that this anything Clytie touched, and her use of a racial slur for Clytie are
isn’t Clytie’s intention. When Clytie then touches Rosa’s arm, it likewise notable.
makes Rosa stop in her tracks, shout for Clytie not to touch her,
and call her the n-word. Rosa remembers how Judith and
Clytie would play together and even sleep in the same bed
together as children, yet Rosa never even dared touch the
same toys that Clytie touched—she was taught to “shun” them
and Clytie.

It’s at this point that Rosa realizes what she “could not, would Rosa finally understands that Clytie is a Sutpen—at least by blood
not, must not believe,” implying that Clytie, too, is a “sister.” She (Sutpen’s quest for respectability in the Old South wouldn’t allow
feels foolish for not seeing it before, and she also feels foolish him to claim Clytie, the daughter of one of his enslaved women, as
for coming here expecting to see Henry “emerge from some his legitimate daughter). Another critical detail of this scene is the
door” as though nothing has happened and urging her to “wake door symbolism: Rosa’ wish for Henry to “emerge from some
up,” as though the present situation is just a dream. door” as though nothing has happened symbolically conveys her
wish to go backward in time to before Henry shoots Bon. This wish
conveys her refusal or inability to acknowledge her present situation
and the act of violence that Henry committed against Bon.

Rosa, in the present, gets sidetracked by memories of the Rosa’s inability to tell her story through to the end without slipping
wistaria she smelled when she was 14. She describes her into tangents like this one illustrates how difficult it is for her to tell
“barren youth” and feeling like a “man” rather than a woman or her story. Her focus on her “barren youth” and feeling like a “man”
girl. She considers how memory is constructed through the rather than a woman or girl further suggests how stuck in time she
senses—sight, touch, and sound—rather than through feels: symbolically, this reflects her inability to grow, reproduce, and
thoughts. Then she changes the subject, redirecting the story evolve from her past self. Like a biological man, she lacks a womb to
backward in time to the summer after the first Christmas facilitate growth and development, and so she remains rooted in
Henry brought Bon home. In this memory, Mr. Coldfield sends place and tied to her traumatic past. This passage also reveals a
Rosa to stay with Ellen. Sutpen is gone. Rosa has never seen rather shocking detail: for all the authority Rosa purports to have on
Bon—in fact, she never will, not even his corpse—and only the Sutpen saga, she’s far less central to the story than one would
knows he exists through Ellen’s talk of him. think. In fact, she’s never even seen Bon, despite the vivid
descriptions of him she puts forth in her stories.

In the present, Miss Rosa describes her sense of Bon as “a This odd passage reaffirms the subjectivity of Rosa’s account of the
child’s vacant fairy-tale” and insists that she “did not love him,” past. She speaks about Charles Bon and the Sutpens with great
and if she did love him, it would be as a mother’s love for a authority, yet here she reveals that she never actually saw Bon in
child—not the way Judith loved him (or how everyone thought person—and might not have even seen a photograph of him.
Judith loved him). She never even saw him outside of a
photograph she spotted in Judith’s room at Sutpen’s
Hundred—and then she suggests that she might even be
misremembering that.

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Rosa’s story flashes forward to the day she arrives at Sutpen’s Rosa’s inability to walk through the door symbolizes her inability to
Hundred following Bon’s murder. Judith encounters Rosa reckon with the past and with the significance of Henry’s choice to
standing before “the closed door which [Rosa] was not to enter.” murder Bon, though at this point in the novel, the full significance of
Then Judith tells Clytie that Rosa will be staying for dinner. Henry’s choice remains unclear.
Rosa never sees Bon’s body, and she never walks through the
closed door.

Rosa, Judith, and Clytie carry the coffin out of the house that Continuing a reading of the story as an allegory for the fall of the
afternoon. Judith’s face is blank and unreadable as she cooks pre-war South, Bon’s fall from wealthy, cosmopolitan charmer to
and serves food. Meanwhile, Wash Jones and some other white just another body buried in a clumsy, makeshift coffin parallels the
man construct Bon’s coffin with planks they take from the decline that the South experienced during and after the Civil War.
carriage house. Later, Rosa, Clytie, and Judith carry the coffin Judith’s lack of emotion is curious. It could be that she’s in shock,
to the graveside. Judith doesn’t even weep. Then the three but it could also be that she knows more about Bon than she’s let
women put the box in the earth. on—perhaps she knows about the woman and child in New Orleans.

People in town will give a bunch of “paltry reasons, all untrue, and Rosa continues to recount her choice to move to Sutpen’s Hundred
be believed” for why Rosa stays at Sutpen’s Hundred following in a bitter, defensive tone. She accuses the townspeople of spreading
Bon’s death. They’ll say she stays for food, though she could rumors about all the “paltry reasons” that factored into her choice,
easily have scrounged for or grown her own food. Or they’ll say none of which (she claims) are true. Rosa’s answer—that she, Clytie,
she stays to have a roof over her head, or that she wants the and Judith waited for Sutpen to return because he was “the only
company. In fact, she simply waits for Sutpen to return—not to reason for continuing to exist” gains deeper significance if one
marry him, as the townspeople will say—but because for Judith, continues to interpret the story as an allegory for the Old South’s
Clytie, and Rosa, he’s “the only reason for continuing to exist,” for demise. Rosa is suggesting that she and the other women need
the women know Sutpen will begin to pick up the pieces of Sutpen—the image of pre-war Southern respectability—to return to
Sutpen’s Hundred as soon as he returns from the war. restore order and meaning to their lives. They don’t know how to
make sense of life devoid of that familiar social and hierarchical
structure (of course, one would expect that Clytie, as a former
enslaved woman, has more complicated feelings about the matter,
but the book doesn’t delve into that).

So, the three women wait inside the old house, surviving but Clytie, Judith, and Rosa exist in a state of limbo. Where once
taking no pleasure in life. They tend the garden, which provides Sutpen’s Hundred was the embodiment of Southern success and
most of their food, and they sleep in the same room to cut back respectability, now it is merely a shell of its former state. At this
on firewood. In the winter, soldiers begin to return, and the point, the women still seem willing to believe that they can
women feed them what they can, though they are afraid of accomplish “the Herculean task” of rebuilding the estate and
them. They talk about Sutpen and about the war ending, and restoring it to its former glory—they seem unwilling to admit that
what will happen once he returns: how they’ll begin “the the social fabric that gave the estate its glory will be irreparably
Herculean task” of rebuilding Sutpen’s Hundred. They talk about destroyed by the South’s loss of the Civil War, just as they are
Henry, albeit “quietly.” They never speak of Bon, though Judith unwilling to speak of Bon’s death.
sometimes goes to clear the leaves from his grave.

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Sutpen returns in January, and he and Rosa are engaged within Rosa continues to speak defensively of her choice to accept Sutpen’s
three months. (Rosa, in the present, gives no excuses for her proposal. It seems that there’s something about her relationship
behavior, though she contends that there are many reasons a with Sutpen (or perhaps her genuine romantic feelings toward him)
woman would marry a man, from the possibility for wealth or that she’s too ashamed or upset about to address directly. Once
the fear of dying alone, which people say all women have.) more, readers should note the unreliability of Rosa’s (and all
characters’) accounts of the past.

Sutpen arrives home and greets Judith, who remains rigid and Judith’s tears are curious—she hardly reacted to Bon’s murder back
silent. The two of them speak in clipped sentences, with Judith when it happened. It’s possible that she and Bon (contrary to Mr.
filling Sutpen in on Henry’s disappearance following his murder Compson’s version of events) did have legitimate feelings for each
of Bon. Then, for the first time, she bursts into tears. Sutpen other. However, as always, it’s impossible to say whose version of
hardly responds to the news of Henry’s murder of Bon. (This, events gets closest to the truth: Judith and Bon are both dead in the
Rosa explains in the present, was because “he himself was not novel’s present, and so neither can vouch for what they were feeling
there,” only “a shell of him” came back.) They were right about back then. Also important in this passage is Rosa’s description of
Sutpen’s intentions with the place: he immediately set about Sutpen as returning from the war as “a shell of” the man he was
getting the house and plantation back in working order. That before. This suggests that she’s starting to accept that it will be
the place was in such a sorry state did not intimidate him. impossible to rebuild the estate to its former glory: the pre-war
South will never be able to exist as it once was.

Rosa and the others hardly see Sutpen that winter; he’s often A “carpet-bagger” (or carpetbagger) is a historical term Southerners
gone all day. It’s that season when they learn the meaning of used to refer to Northerners who traveled to the South after the
“carpet-bagger,” and when women start locking their doors at Civil War to (purportedly) take advantage of the decimated regional
night, fearing the “negro uprisings” they’ve heard talk about. economy and spread Republican views (which included the right of
Meanwhile, armed men gather in “secret meeting places,” though newly freed former enslaved people to vote and be elected to office).
Sutpen doesn’t join them. Instead, he argues that if every man This passage makes clear that the South’s loss of the war has
in the South set about repairing the land like he’s doing, then fundamentally altered its social, economic, and cultural
“the general land and the South would save itself.” Rosa watches landscape—despite residents’ efforts and longings to restore things
Sutpen and realizes that he’s not fighting against the land: he’s to the way they were. The vague mention of “secret meeting places”
fighting the “weight of the changed new time itself,” an impossible seems to refer to KKK gatherings. The fact that Sutpen doesn’t
task. participate in these meetings is curious and sheds light on what
motivates his ambition. He doesn’t seem to have an innate sense of
racial inequality like the other Klansmen do—he’s more invested in
the idea of respectability the Old South promotes, and racism and
slavery (in Sutpen’s thinking) are merely incidental to that
respectability.

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Then one day, while working in the garden, Rosa looks up and Once more, Rosa assumes a defensive, rationalizing tone when
sees Sutpen looking back at her. (In the present, she’s adamant speaking of her and Sutpen’s romance. It seems possible that her
that he didn’t give her a look of love—rather, it was simply “a feelings for him were more genuine than she’s letting on in the
sudden over-burst of light, illumination.” And yet she sees no present—and that his apparent rejection of her stung more
reason to reject him.) Sutpen proposes marriage to Rosa with personally and emotionally than she can admit, perhaps even to
no flourish, promising her that he’ll be no worse a husband to herself. Meanwhile, Sutpen’s talk of “the very dark forces of fate”
Rosa than he was to Ellen. This is the extent of their courtship. which compelled him to create Sutpen’s Hundred suggests that he
Sutpen doesn’t talk of love or marriage, only “the very dark forces never reciprocated those feelings. He sees her as he sees all other
of fate which he had evoked and dared” and out of which he’d people: as an opportunity or obstacle to his ultimate goal of
made Sutpen’s Hundred. It’s as though he feels he can turn respectability.
back the clock 20 years just by slipping the ring on Rosa’s
finger.

After the engagement, Sutpen doesn’t look at Rosa again. She Rosa’s observation that she, to Sutpen, was the same as “any young
feels she could have gone home, and he wouldn’t have female no blood kin to him represent[s]” implies her belief that
noticed—she only fills the role that “any young female no blood Sutpen never really loved her. Instead, he was merely using Rosa (as
kin to him represent[s].” (As Rosa, in the present, relates this part he used Ellen before her) as a means to achieve his ambitious end:
of the story to Quentin, her tone grows vengeful and more to birth an heir to continue his legacy of respectability and success.
bitter.)

Meanwhile, nobody sets a date for the wedding. One day, Here, Rosa vaguely confirms that her engagement to Sutpen ended
Sutpen insults Rosa, yelling for her to “come” to him—after not after Sutpen insulted her in some way, calling for her to “come” as
addressing her once since he slipped the ring on her finger. though she were a dog, but the details of the insult are apparently
too shameful or upsetting for Rosa to address at this time.

In the present, Rosa scornfully talks of all the rumors people in Rosa claims that Sutpen’s insulting her wasn’t what caused her to
town have spread about why she left Sutpen’s Hundred and leave Sutpen’s Hundred, yet her behavior in the intervening
didn’t go through with the marriage. They say she couldn’t years—living as a shut-in and harboring a deeply bitter grudge
“forgive him” for insulting her or for “being dead” and that that’s against him—suggests there might be some truth to those rumors.
why she returned to Jefferson, where she has spent the last
four decades alone in her empty house.

But, Rosa assures Quentin, she did forgive Sutpen for the Rosa’s insistence that she “had nothing to forgive” Sutpen for in
insult. In fact, she feels she “had nothing to forgive” in the first the first place gestures toward the impersonal nature of Sutpen’s
place. For she “never owned him,” nor did Ellen, nor Jones’s cruelty. Sutpen is never cruel for cruelty’s sake—his behavior never
daughter (who, it’s rumored, died in a Memphis brothel). It was has anything to do with other people and everything to do with
impossible for anyone to own him, “Because he was not realizing his ambition. He lives apart from the world and the
articulated in this world. He was a walking shadow.” broader human story, and that is why nobody in his life ever
“owned him.” Rosa seems to find a great sadness in this fact,
describing Sutpen as “a walking shadow,” the hint of a physical
presence.

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Miss Rosa’s story trails off as Quentin stops listening and The suspenseful end to this chapter features elements of the
considers how he, too, cannot walk through “that door.” He Southern Gothic genre, with Rosa’s suggestion that a grotesque
imagines the interaction between Henry and Judith when presence has been hiding in Sutpen’s derelict estate for the past four
Henry told Judith about Bon’s murder. Then Rosa interrupts years. It is not clear whether Miss Rosa’s shocking admission is true
Quentin’s daydreaming to tell him that “something” is living “in or whether she is merely mistaken—she’s an elderly shut-in who’s
that house.” Quentin assumes she’s talking about Clytie, but had minimal access to the outside world for the past 43 years, after
Rosa ominously corrects him: “No. Something living in it. Hidden all, so how could she possibly know what’s going on inside Sutpen’s
in it. It has been out there for four years, living hidden in that house.” house?

CHAPTER 6
The narrative picks up in 1910 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Chapter 6 introduces a new narrative perspective: that of Quentin’s
Quentin and his roommate Shreve, a Canadian, are sitting in Canadian roommate, Shreve. Shreve’s perspective shines new light
their dorm room at Harvard. An opened letter sits on the on the Sutpen story. As a Northerner, he considers Sutpen through
table—it’s from Quentin’s father, announcing Miss Rosa’s the lens of an outsider and doesn’t have Quentin’s personal
recent death and burial. She had been in a coma for weeks attachment to the region and people the story is about. This could
before her death and died painlessly in her sleep. The letter’s supply his perspective with an objectivity that other characters’
arrival has necessitated Quentin’s catching Shreve up to speed versions have lacked. The detail of Rosa’s death is shocking and
about who Miss Rosa was to him and his family. Quentin sudden; given its juxtaposition with Rosa’s shocking admission
describes her as “an old lady that died young of outrage in 1866 about the person hiding inside Sutpen’s old house that concluded
one summer,” which only increases Shreve’s curiosity. It the previous chapter, one can’t help but wonder whether this
prompts Shreve to make a request that he (and so many others mystery is related to her death in any way. Finally, the detail of
at Harvard) have requested of Quentin before: “Tell about the Quentin’s classmates at Harvard pestering him with questions
South. What’s it like there. What do they do there. Why do they live about the South—many of which are insulting (“Why do they live
there. Why do they live at all.” there. Why do they live at all.”) emphasizes how alien the region is
to people who don’t live there. Outsiders’ dismissal of the South also
shows how the South has remained in the past, having failed to
recover—economically or culturally—from the devastation of the
Confederacy’s loss of the Civil War.

Quentin has been telling Shreve what happened after Miss As an outsider, Shreve expresses skepticism toward elements of the
Rosa told him that someone was hiding in the old house on story Quentin takes for granted—he reasonably questions how a
Sutpen’s Hundred. Shreve is shocked that Miss Rosa, who shut-in like Miss Rosa could possibly know that somebody is hiding
apparently hadn’t left her house in 43 years, could know that in Sutpen’s Hundred when she hasn’t left her house in decades.
someone was hiding out in Sutpen’s Hundred and then would Shreve’s error in calling Miss Rosa “Aunt Rosa” reflects his
leave in a buggy at midnight to confirm her suspicion. As they unfamiliarity with—and lack of respect for—the Southern customs
talk, Shreve keeps calling Miss Rosa “Aunt Rosa,” and Quentin that shaped Quentin’s upbringing. To Shreve, the people in
repeatedly corrects him. Quentin assures Shreve that he’s got Quentin’s story are merely quirky characters—they aren’t real
it right—this is exactly what Miss Rosa did. Throughout the rest people, and their suffering has no bearing on his personal experience
of their conversation, he continues confirming or correcting as it does Quentin’s.
Shreve as Shreve relates the stories that Quentin has already
told him.

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Shreve repeats back the basic arc of Rosa’s life, starting with Shreve’s narration and abundant clarifying questions explicitly
the childhood she spent “in a household like an overpopulated present the Sutpen saga as a frame story. In previous chapters,
mausoleum” and describing the lifetime she spent hating where characters tell their version of Sutpen’s story with fewer
everyone. He speaks of Mr. Coldfield’s shutting himself inside interruptions, it’s easier for the reader to forget that they are
the attic to avoid “being drafted in the Rebel army,” and how hearing about Sutpen through a third party’s incomplete, subjective
Rosa’s being left a penniless orphan following Mr. Coldfield’s account of his life.
death led her to Thomas Sutpen for security.

Shreve’s account also sheds light on the insult that caused Rosa This is apparently the detail Rosa was too ashamed or unwilling to
to leave Sutpen’s Hundred: Sutpen suggested he and Rosa have convey firsthand—it’s unclear how Quentin learned this detail (for it
sex before marrying, and if Rosa became pregnant with a male was Quentin who passed it along to Shreve), but it’s likely that Mr.
heir, then they’d marry. After Rosa left (in Shreve’s summary), Compson filled in the blanks that Rosa couldn’t. Of course, how
Sutpen turned to a “successor,” which ultimately led to his truthful Mr. Compson’s version of events is can’t be known.
death by a “scythe.” Shreve refers to Sutpen as “Faustus,” a
“demon,” and “Beelzebub” in his retelling. Quentin affirms that
everything Shreve has repeated back to him is correct.

Shreve continues to clarify points of the story Quentin has told This elaborate list of people whose lives Sutpen has impacted (if not
him. After turning Henry against Bon, prohibiting Bon’s outright destroyed) shows what little regard he has for others. He’s
marriage to Judith, poisoning Henry against Bon, and not cruel or evil—he simply believes he exists outside the broader
“doom[ing Judith] to spinsterhood” by manipulating Henry into human story and can exploit or disregard others if it’ll get him closer
murdering. Bon, Sutpen comes back from the war and decides to achieving his great ambition—his “design.” People are replaceable
to try to rebuild his dynasty. To do this, he sets to work finding a and interchangeable to him: he selects Rosa to be his new wife as
new wife to give him new children to replace the old, doomed strategically—and as emotionlessly—as he chose Ellen before her.
ones. Then he hopes to return his plantation to what it was
before the war.

As Shreve talks, Quentin thinks to himself, “He sounds just like Shreve “sounds just like” Mr. Compson not because of how he
Father.” Quentin observes Shreve, “naked torso pink-gleaming sounds but because of what he says—he’s repeating Mr. Compson’s
and baby-smooth, cherubic, almost hairless.” Of course, Shreve, words (which he heard via Quentin) and so bringing Mr. Compson
unlike Mr. Compson, knows about what happened after and his story to life, just as stories take on a life of their own and
Quentin “came back” from Sutpen’s Hundred that night. thus may seem closer to the truth than they really are. Another
important detail here is Quentin’s focus on Shreve’s youth, of which
his “pink-gleaming and baby-smooth, cherubic, almost hairless”
belly is clear evidence. Quentin and Shreve are around the same
age—they’re both college students—yet Shreve seems younger to
Quentin because he doesn’t carry the unresolved trauma of history
that Quentin, as a Southerner, does.

At this point, the story shifts to a different perspective (it isn’t Sutpen continues to use people indiscriminately to realize his
clear whose), picking up after Rosa’s departure from Sutpen’s ambition—he’s apparently forgotten all about Rosa following her
Hundred. Sutpen, at some point, begins a sexual relationship departure from Sutpen’s Hundred and found a new woman (a girl in
with Milly, the granddaughter of Wash Jones. (Wash Jones is this case) to give him an heir—Wash Jones’s granddaughter, Milly.
the white man whom Sutpen gave permission to squat in the
abandoned fishing house on the property. He looked after
Sutpen’s property while Sutpen was serving in the military).

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Milly becomes pregnant. After she gives birth in the stable, The implication here is that Sutpen is insulting Milly because she’s
Sutpen insults her, proclaiming, “Well, Milly, too bad you’re not given birth to a girl instead of a boy, which doesn’t bring Sutpen any
a mare like Penelope. Then I could give you a decent stall in the closer to realizing his ambition. Sutpen needs an heir to bring his
stable.” Afterward, Wash Jones, who overheard Sutpen’s insult plan to fruition; Milly has failed to produce an heir and therefore has
of his granddaughter, kills Sutpen with a scythe. The body is proven herself useless to Sutpen. When Wash Jones overhears the
found later that night and returned to Judith, who decides he insult and murders Sutpen in retaliation, it symbolizes the
should be buried in a cedar grove at the Methodist church impossibility of living outside of the broader human story. Sutpen
where he married Ellen all those years ago. Judith doesn’t cry, thought he could exist outside of society, interacting with others
perhaps because she’s too busy (she ran Sutpen’s general store with the sole purpose of furthering his ambition. When Wash Jones
by herself until she found someone to buy it). Jones is dead kills him, it shows that Sutpen’s behavior toward others does have
now too. consequences—that he can only act upon and harm and insult
others for so long before they act upon him in return. His blind
ambition and asocial personality are his undoing.

In the present, Shreve halts his retelling of the Sutpen saga to Shreve’s interjections are a regular occurrence throughout this
ask about a story Quentin told him about hunting quail with Mr. chapter—they serve to remind the reader of the novel’s frame-story
Compson. The narrative shifts away from the ambiguous structure. Another thing to note: it’s characteristic of Faulkner’s
narrator and back to Quentin’s perspective as he describes a work for characters to recur across different novels—Luster,
Black boy named Luster who led Quentin and Mr. Compson Quentin, Mr. Compson, and Shreve all appear in Faulkner’s novel
around a ditch as it started to rain. In his story, Quentin looks The Sound and the F Fury
ury, though Shreve has a far more major role
up and sees a grove of cedars ahead of him, and beyond them a in Absalom, Absalom! than in The Sound and the F Fury
ury.
grove of oak.

Mr. Compson leads Luster and Quentin into the cedars, and it’s The South’s past and its dead continue to haunt the region’s
there that Quentin sees the gravestones of Ellen Coldfield present, a fact that the gravestones Mr. Compson, Luster, and
Sutpen and Thomas Sutpen. Mr. Compson explains that Sutpen Quentin visit make clear. It reinforces Sutpen’s single-minded focus
bought them when Judith informed him of Ellen’s death. He on so-called “respectability” and appearances that he bought a wife
ordered them from Italy, wanting only the finest quality. He left whom he all but disregarded in life such a grand, showy gravestone.
his own headstone with a blank date of death, despite serving
with an army that had the highest mortality rate in history.

As Mr. Compson speaks, Quentin can imagine Sutpen leading Upon seeing these gravestones—gravestones Miss Rosa would likely
his suffering troops into Pennsylvania. Then he led them have seen on a regular basis when she was living at Sutpen’s
through the Cumberland Gap, the Tennessee mountains, and Hundred—Quentin here calls Miss Rosa’s telling of events into
finally into Mississippi in late 1964, evading Yankee troops all question. It strikes him as odd that she wouldn’t mention the
along the way. Quentin, in the story’s present, imagines Miss gravestones when she was telling him her story, and he thinks that
Rosa at Sutpen’s Hundred following Ellen’s death, gazing at the she might have failed to mention them to minimize the romantic
gravestone Sutpen prematurely ordered for himself with feelings she had for Sutpen as a young woman—feelings that adult
romantic longing, as though it were a beloved’s portrait. Rosa is too ashamed to admit to aloud.

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Quentin asks Mr. Compson about the other three gravestones, The phrasing of Mr. Compson’s question to Quentin—“Who would
which belong to Charles Bon, Charles Etienne Saint-Valery have paid for them?”—subtly betrays just how much of what Mr.
Bon, and Judith Sutpen. Mr. Compson urges Quentin to think Compson says is speculation. At first, it seems like he’s suggesting
about it: “Who would have paid for them?” Quentin replies, that “she” (meaning Judith) paid for the gravestones as a matter of
“She did it,” and deduces that “she” paid for the gravestones fact. In reality, though, he’s actually only speculating that Judith
with money she earned from the store’s sale. Mr. Compson paid for the gravestones since that’s the scenario that makes most
confirms that Quentin’s guess is correct. Quentin notes that sense to him. “Would have” is a phrase that reappears throughout
Charles Etienne’s year of death, 1884, is the same as Judith’s. sections that Mr. Compson narrates, and it serves to remind readers
that his story is not an authoritative account of Sutpen’s life—it’s
based on details his father (General Compson) has told him and
speculations he’s made based on that information.

Mr. Compson next describes an afternoon in the summer of The story introduces readers—albeit indirectly, through Quentin’s
1870—the summer Judith sold the store. In Mr. Compson’s retelling of Mr. Compson’s retelling of General Compson’s
telling, Quentin’s grandfather witnesses the arrival of Bon’s account—to Charles Bon’s other family in New Orleans. Similar to
mistress—whom he assumes has come in response to Judith his portrayal of Bon as opportunistic, Mr. Compson notes Bon’s
writing her in New Orleans to inform her of Bon’s death. The mixed-race mistress’s elaborate gown, seemingly to depict her as
woman arrives with an 11-year-old boy, Charles Etienne. She’s materialistic and shallow, perhaps as a consequence of her
dressed in an elaborate gown rather than mourning clothing. association with Bon. Meanwhile, Clytie treats Bon’s son with the
Charles Bon’s widow and son visit his grave, then they return to woman coldly, perhaps out of loyalty to Judith, her half-sister.
the house. They stay for one week, spending the entire time in
the only room in the house that still has linen sheets. Clytie
delivers coarse cornbread and coarse molasses to Charles
Etienne but treats him coldly.

After Bon’s widow and her child, Charles Etienne, return to The uncertainty about who kept tabs on Charles Bon’s son reminds
New Orleans, Clytie (or maybe Judith) keeps tabs on them and readers that most of this story is based on speculation—Mr.
goes to New Orleans to fetch Charles Etienne after Bon’s Compson is only repeating what his father told him (and
widow dies. She brings him back to Sutpen’s Hundred. Charles editorializing with his own opinions where he sees fit to do so)—he
Etienne is 12 now. He speaks no English, and the others can’t didn’t live this experience himself. From the start, Charles Etienne’s
speak French. Judith cares for him but is not affectionate future seems grim: he is orphaned at a young age and goes on to live
toward him, regarding him only “with a cold unbending a lonely, loveless childhood. Judith’s efforts to “wash the smooth
detached gentleness.” He sleeps in her room, and she washes faint olive tinge from his skin” could suggest her racism—it’s as
him in water that’s either too hot or too cold, scrubbing as though she wants to rid him of his Black ancestry. A more generous
though to “wash the smooth faint olive tinge from his skin.” reading is that she wishes to extinguish the half of him that comes
from the woman who came between her and Bon—his mixed-race
mother’s half.

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Quentin’s grandfather isn’t sure who—Judith or Clytie—tells Again, the narration draws attention to just how much of this story
Charles Etienne he must be Black. Before this, the concept of is based on speculation. Even Quentin’s grandfather (who at least
race was alien to him, for Clytie has watched him like a hawk, was alive during the time the events of the story take place and
intervening whenever anyone—Black or white—crossed paths knew the story’s characters personally) doesn’t know all the facts
with him. Judith, meanwhile, never prevented him from and so must make guesses here and there. For instance, he doesn’t
sleeping in the white child’s bed in her room. The town knows even realize that Charles Etienne is the mixed-race woman and
of Charles Etienne’s arrival and thinks they now understand Bon’s son at first. This passage also marks the first time the book
why Henry murdered Bon, though Quentin’s grandfather has focused on race or racial identity in a serious capacity. Here, the
doesn’t quite connect the young boy with Bon’s widow, the narration shows how Charles Etienne’s uncertainty about his racial
mixed-race woman he saw at Bon’s graveside years before. background leads to confusion, frustration, and unhappiness.

Five years later, Judith, now in her forties, goes to the Charles Etienne’s grief-stricken, lonely, and loveless childhood has
courthouse to retrieve Charles Etienne, who is handcuffed to made him into a flailing and troubled adult. It seems that he’s
an officer and in poor shape after getting into a fight. regularly involved in fights and in trouble with the law. Symbolically,
Apparently, he attended a “negro” ball at a cabin a few miles Charles Etienne’s inability to move forward and live a good life is the
away from Sutpen’s Hundred and got into a fight there. But result of his inability to make peace with his identity and find his
Charles Etienne won’t say anything in his own defense at the place in society. As a mixed-race person of uncertain ancestry, it’s
courtroom. The justice, Jim Hamblett, is making an indictment unclear where he should fit in in the new, struggling, post-war South.
when Quentin’s grandfather enters and interrupts Hamblett’s
speech. He pays Charles Etienne’s fine and takes Charles
Etienne back to his office to talk.

Judith waits outside Quentin’s grandfather’s office while Quentin’s grandfather suggests that it’s possible for Charles Etienne
Charles Etienne and Quentin’s grandfather speak. Quentin’s to do what Sutpen did before him—start somewhere fresh,
grandfather asks if Charles Etienne is Charles Bon’s son, and unburdened by the baggage of his past. In reality, as Sutpen’s demise
Charles Etienne curtly replies that he doesn’t know. Quentin’s has shown, it's not possible to exist outside of the society into which
grandfather tells Charles Etienne that he can be whatever he one was born.
wants to be once he’s among strangers. If Charles Etienne
leaves town, Quentin’s grandfather will tell Judith that he’s
gone but won’t specify where.

Not long after this, Charles Etienne leaves town for a time and Charles Etienne’s marrying a dark-skinned Black woman (i.e., a
returns with a dark-skinned Black woman he married while he woman who cannot “pass” as white, as Charles Etienne can) serves
was away. She comes from a “two dimensional backwater” as an act of rebellion against the South’s racist social hierarchy. His
place and is apparently simple minded. The woman later gives choice to live in the old slave cabin also seems to be an act of
birth to her and Charles Etienne’s son in the old slave cabin on rebellion—it’s as though he’s trying to force Judith and the other
land that Charles Etienne rents from Judith. He fixes up the southerners to acknowledge the legacy of institutionalized racism
cabin and lives there with his family, flaunting his wife’s dark (i.e., slavery) upon which the South’s culture and economy was built,
skin in front of Judith and around town. He passes as white living out the life he would have lived in the pre-war South as an
among white men, who see his wife as an indication of “sexual enslaved Black man to suggest that while laws have changed
perversion.” (slavery has been abolished), the South’s attitude has not.

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Judith pleads with Charles Etienne to renounce his wife and Charles Etienne’s stubborn refusal to leave for the North contrasts
child (Jim Bond) and go to the North, where he can start fresh sharply with Sutpen’s arc. Sutpen arrived in Mississippi, seemingly
and pass as white. She even offers to take care of the woman without a past: nobody knew who he was or where he came from.
and child—after all, her own father “begot one.” She says He subsequently tried to build a dynasty from the ground up,
General Compson can sell some of the land to give Charles maintaining his detachment form the wider world. Charles Etienne,
Etienne money to fund his journey. She says she’ll tell people by contrast, remains tied to his roots: to the South and to his past,
around town that he is Henry’s son. But Charles Etienne however fraught it may be. On the other hand, his refusal to call
refuses. When he calls her Miss Sutpen, she asks him to call her Judith “Aunt Judith” indicates an asocial personality that’s similar to
Aunt Judith. Sutpen’s.

But nobody really knows what words Judith and Charles This passage reveals that, yet again, the story has tried to pass off
Etienne exchanged that day; certainly, Quentin’s grandfather speculation as fact. In reality, Quentin’s grandfather doesn’t know
doesn’t know. He only knows the story town gossip has settled what Charles Etienne’s relationship with Judith was like or whether
on. After speaking with Judith, Charles Etienne returns to his he refused her offer to help him move North. All he—and by
cabin where his wife and child are waiting for him. He continues extension, all Mr. Compson, Quentin, and Shreve—have to go off of
to live there and farm the land. He associates with neither are educated guesses and pure speculation. Another important
white people nor Black people. Occasionally he gets drunk and detail to note here is that Quentin’s grandfather’s treatment of
starts fights, and after each altercation, Quentin’s grandfather Charles Etienne mirrors his treatment of Sutpen many years
pays his bond to get him out of jail. before—it’s as though history is repeating itself, though it’s not clear
why Quentin’s grandfather feels responsible to look after Charles
Etienne.

Charles Etienne later falls ill with yellow fever. Judith moves It’s unclear what motivates Judith to care for the child her late
him into the house and cares for him, and eventually she fiancé had with his mistress. But she seems to feel responsible for
catches the disease herself. Judith dies first, and Charles dies him for some reason, whether out of love for Bon—or for some other
not long after. Clytie raises Charles Etienne’s son after Charles reason that has yet to come to light.
Etienne’s passing.

The narrative shifts back to Quentin’s perspective as he, Mr. The novel’s frame-story structure can make it difficult to remember
Compson, and Luster look on the gravestones while Mr. whose perspective the narrative comes from and when in time
Compson tells the story of Charles Etienne. Quentin isn’t really everything is taking place. Recall that this scene between Quentin,
listening to the story anymore, since he knows it all already. The Mr. Compson, and Luster is a memory that Quentin is recounting to
rain is coming down harder now, and Mr. Compson urges them Shreve in the story’s present as the two young men hash out the
to seek shelter in the old slave cabin where Charles Etienne story of Sutpen from their dorm room at Harvard.
lived. Luster refuses, making up excuses for why he can’t go
inside. Mr. Compson laughs at Luster, but Quentin doesn’t.

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The narrative shifts to Quentin’s memory of himself, Luster, The narration consistently describes Clytie as having “coffee-
and some other boys their age approaching the old cabin and colored” skin, so the reader may infer that the old woman sitting on
seeing Charles Etienne’s son, Jim Bond, who is just a few years the porch is Clytie. This memory also helps to establish when
older than they are. Bond is wearing unwashed, ill-fitting Quentin’s adolescence occurs relative to the rest of the timeline: he’s
clothes. The boys don’t even notice the woman sitting on the around the same age as Jim Bond, Charles Bon’s son. The boys’ fear
porch at first. She’s old, small, and wrinkled, with a “coffee- suggests that Clytie has unsettled them in some deep, perhaps
colored face.” When she asks the boys what they want, they unconscious way that they’re not fully able to understand. Their
reply, “Nothing,” and then run away, scared but not knowing disturbed reaction to seeing Clytie, a symbolic ghost of the pre-war
why. South, reinforces an allegorical reading of the novel. In such a
reading, the boys’ fear of Clytie, a former enslaved woman,
symbolizes the South’s inability to acknowledge the legacy of
slavery in the aftermath of the Civil War.

“Yes,” Quentin says, as the story shifts forward in time to 1910. Shreve’s skepticism reinforces his outsider’s perspective: he has
He and Shreve are at Cambridge, and Shreve is repeating back never been to the South and regards it with more detachment and
to Quentin the story of the South that Quentin has told him, morbid curiosity than Quentin. He enjoys hearing about it as one
confirming that he’s gotten all the unbelievable details of the might enjoy hearing a ghost story—for him, it’s entertainment. But
story correct. Shreve verifies that Jim Bond and “the old for Quentin, the ghosts of the South are very real and affect his
woman”—Clytie—lived in the cabin for 26 years. Quentin character and perspective in a real way. This chapter ends with
confirms that this is true. Shreve then expresses disbelief that another shocking revelation: Quentin went to Sutpen’s Hundred
“Aunt Rosa” could think that there was someone else living with Miss Rosa and confirmed that her outlandish claim that a third
there—after all, Judith and Bon are both dead, and Henry is still person is hiding there was in fact correct. It’s unclear who this
on the run. Was there really someone else living in the cabin person could be, but given that Judith, Bon, and most everyone else
when Quentin traveled to Sutpen’s Hundred with Miss Rosa to are all dead, the only real possibility (of the characters the novel has
see for themselves? Quentin replies, “Yes.” “Wait then,” Shreve introduced thus far) is Henry. Certainly, it’s not implausible to think
replies, in disbelief. Clytie would be willing to hide her fugitive half-brother—law
enforcement would hang him for Bon’s murder if they ever found
him.

CHAPTER 7
It’s cold in Shreve and Quentin’s room in Cambridge. Shreve The cold of Quentin and Shreve’s dorm room in Cambridge
glibly announces that the point of Quentin’s story is that “he contrasts with the stifling warm of Miss Rosa’s house in
just wanted a grandson,” With amusement, he declares the Jefferson—this difference reinforces how out of place Quentin is in
South “better than the theatre, isn’t it.” Quentin says nothing, the North. It also reinforces how removed Shreve is from Quentin’s
frozen. Then he starts to tell another story about Sutpen, which stories of the South—and how this removal changes how the stories
picks up during Sutpen’s second year in Mississippi. The affect him. Also note that this story about Sutpen picks up years
architect Sutpen hired to design his mansion tried to escape. before the last story left off: Sutpen has only recently arrived in
Sutpen alerted Quentin’s Grandfather and some other Jefferson and has yet to marry Ellen or achieve success as a planter.
townsfolk, then he got his dogs and enslaved people to go after
him. Shreve jokes that the architect might have been going off
to meet a woman. Quentin ignores Shreve’s remark and
continues his story. He describes how the architect jumped into
the swamp, wearing all his clothes, and how Sutpen’s enslaved
people saw it happen. Sutpen didn’t notice the architect’s
absence until later.

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Quentin’s story moves back in time to summarize Sutpen’s Later, Sutpen will try to build a life from the ground up in
origins. Sutpen is born in 1808 in the mountains of West Jefferson—he’ll reveal nothing about his past, seeming determined
Virginia. He has many siblings, and the family is very poor. that it not define him. But he did come from somewhere, and likely
Sutpen doesn’t even know it’s possible to tame and own land. his past does inform the decisions he makes later in life. Here,
One day, when Sutpen is 10, his father announces to the family readers learn more about Sutpen’s past and how it inspired the
that they are moving. They travel “down the mountain to where ambition that would dominate his decisions and perspectives as an
roads exist[].” The family travels for a long time, though, years adult.
later, Sutpen won’t be able to recall if they traveled for months
or for a year.

Sutpen’s father drinks heavily, and his “mountain drinking Sutpen’s father’s “mountain drinking manners” contrast sharply
manners” get him thrown out of bars in town. Sutpen sees his with the refined, mannered persona Sutpen will adopt as an adult. It
first enslaved Black man during his family’s travels, and he seems that, in part, the “respectability” for which Sutpen strives
learns the difference between Black men and white men—and originates from his desire to move beyond his impoverished
“between white men and white men not to be measured by childhood, during which he and his family were at the bottom of the
lifting anvils or gouging eyes or how much whiskey you could social hierarchy. Sutpen’s notion that success is about luck reflects
drink then get up and walk out of the room.” At this point, his lack of awareness of this social hierarchy, though—at this stage
though, Sutpen still thinks that a person’s success in life is a of life, Sutpen is still innocent and doesn’t understand the degree to
matter of luck. He won’t learn otherwise until later. which social institutions dictate a person’s lot in life, empowering
some and oppressing others.

Eventually the family stops traveling and settles in a cabin on a That Sutpen can only discern that he is “surrounded by faces”
plantation in Tennessee that’s almost identical to the mountain reflects his youthful lack of awareness about the racial or social
cabin they left behind. Sutpen doesn’t know where he comes hierarchies that dictate who deserves respect and humanity and
from or where he’s moved to; he’s simply “there, surrounded by who doesn’t. When the enslaved Black man turns young Sutpen
faces.” The white man who owned the plantation and the away from the front door, redirecting him toward the back, it
enslaved people who worked it lived in the biggest house teaches Sutpen that his poverty makes him unworthy of respect.
Sutpen had ever seen. One day Sutpen goes to the house to That the enslaved man’s clothes are nicer than Sutpen’s reinforces
deliver a message to the planter from his father. He is excited, how low on the social hierarchy Sutpen’s poverty makes him—even
thinking he’ll finally see inside it. But when he approaches the lower than an enslaved man, who at this point in history would
front door, a Black enslaved man tells him to use the back door, legally be considered property. This humiliating experience
putting Sutpen in his place. Sutpen notes that the Black man is represents Sutpen’s loss of innocence—it’s the catalyst that pushes
dressed in finer clothes than his own. He considers shooting him toward his single-minded pursuit of his ambition.
the man who owns the house but realizes it won’t do any good.

The man’s insult doesn’t sadden or anger Sutpen. He calmly Quentin’s aside to Shreve reminds readers that they are hearing
runs into the woods and crawls inside the cave-like space under about Sutpen’s origins from Sutpen’s perspective. It’s worth being
a fallen oak tree. (When Sutpen later recounted the insult to somewhat skeptical about Sutpen’s claim that the rejection he
Quentin’s grandfather, Quentin relates to Shreve in the novel’s experienced at the planter’s front door didn’t sadden or anger
present, Sutpen insisted that he wasn’t angry about the insult. him—clearly, the incident was a major formative experience for him,
He merely decided the insult had alerted him to a problem he kicking into gear the fierce ambition that would consume the rest of
would have to address.) his life (and ultimately bring about his demise).

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Eventually dinner time approaches, and Sutpen grows hungry. Sutpen’s earlier humiliation seems to inspire the observation he
He walks toward his family’s cabin and sees his sister outside, makes now about how “brutish and stupidly out of all proportion to
wearing an old dress and a pair of old men’s boots as she does its reward” his sister’s hard work is. Before, his youthful innocence
laundry. Sutpen realizes how “brutish and stupidly out of all shielded him from the reality of class, race, and the existence of a
proportion to its reward” her work is. She orders Sutpen to social hierarchy. Now, he’s no longer able to accept his station in life
fetch wood, but he refuses. When their father returns, Sutpen’s and so leaves his family behind to make a new name for himself,
sister tells on Sutpen, and their father makes Sutpen get the unmarked by his shameful, lowly past.
wood. Nobody asks about Sutpen’s errand earlier that day. At
night Sutpen can’t stop replaying the interaction with the
enslaved man who hadn’t even paused to hear why Sutpen had
come to the house. Sutpen resolves to get back at the enslaved
Black man for the insult. He leaves that night for the West
Indies and never sees his family again.

Sutpen apparently conveyed this story of his youth to Quentin’s grandfather picks up on the artificiality and learned
Quentin’s grandfather as they waited for Sutpen’s enslaved quality of Sutpen’s mannerisms. It’s clear that the humiliating
Black men and dogs to track down the escaped architect. experience of being denied entry to the planter’s mansion created in
Quentin’s grandfather would later say that Sutpen told this Sutpen a drive to never be looked down on again—and so he
story with a slight tilt of his head, a mannerism he must have strategically crafts a persona and studies mannerisms he believes
picked up from someone or some book long ago—perhaps the will make him appear worthy of others’ respect. When Quentin’s
same place he picked up the lofty words with which he would grandfather notes that there’s no “vanity” in Sutpen’s mannerisms,
pepper his speech. But there was no “vanity” or humor in this and when he emphasizes Sutpen’s “innocence,” he seems to gesture
affected demeanor. It conveyed the “innocence” that Sutpen toward Sutpen’s underlying belief that he can rise above his humble
still had, having forgotten all about whatever loss of innocence origins, creating a new self that’s worthy of the respect he aspires to
he experienced the day the enslaved Black man insulted him at and leaving his past and the experiences that shaped him behind.
the plantation.

Sutpen told Quentin’s grandfather that he attended school for Sutpen regards “the girl” quite like he’ll later regard Ellen, Rosa, and
a few months when he was 13 or 14, not long before he left for Wash Jones’s granddaughter—as a possible means to reach “his
good. It was there that he learned of the West Indies and about purpose,” or to achieve his goal of success in the social, racial, and
how men could get rich there. He never told Quentin’s class hierarchies of the Old South. Thus, readers may speculate that
grandfather or anyone else if the journey was difficult. In the Ellen was in fact not Sutpen’s first wife—that this “girl” came before
West Indies, he realized he’d have to learn a new language, so her and, for reasons the novel has yet to reveal, Sutpen “found [her]
that’s exactly what he did. When Sutpen told Quentin’s unsuitable” and thus abandoned her.
grandfather the story of his time there, he mentioned “the girl”
only momentarily to explain that “he had found [her] unsuitable
to his purpose and so put aside, though providing for her.”

Quentin’s story of Sutpen’s origins continues. Sutpen works his Sutpen, in the origin story he tells to Quentin’s grandfather, presents
way up in the West Indies, overseeing a sugarcane plantation himself as a mythic figure of extraordinary proportions. Readers
as he learns French and the island patois. At one point, (and recipients of Sutpen’s story in general) have no choice but to
enslaved people on the plantation stage a revolt. The planter take his word for it, but it’s difficult to believe that Sutpen could
and his family barricade themselves inside the house as the have subdued the enslaved people’s revolt on his own. Again, it’s
enslaved Black men come at him with machetes. Sutpen goes difficult to arrive at the truth of history when all one has are
out and subdues the revolting enslaved people, though he incomplete, heavily subjective accounts of it.
doesn’t give many details about how he did it. When he returns,
he and the girl—whose name he has yet to learn—become
engaged to be married.

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In the present, Shreve interrupts Quentin’s story, urging Shreve seems understandably frustrated by the meandering,
Quentin, “Go on.” Quentin repeats the words he spoke before incomplete structure of Quentin’s story—especially when all
Shreve’s interrupted him: “I said he stopped.” Shreve protests Quentin has to offer as explanation are brief responses that do little
the story’s many remaining loose ends and Sutpen’s many to clarify any of the story’s missing pieces. When Quentin fixates on
omissions, complaining about Sutpen’s purported inability to how cold the room is, it indicates that he’s feeling out of place in the
remember how he got to Haiti, how he subdued the slave cold North. The difference in climate between the North and the
revolt, and how he got married. Quentin explains that he can’t South reflects their different cultures and histories. It's also
clarify any of these points, as Sutpen stopped telling the story significant that Quentin fixates on the temperature in response to
to Quentin’s grandfather at this point in the chronology. Shreve’s insistence on Quentin giving him more information about
Inwardly, Quentin thinks about how cold their room is. Shreve Sutpen—it shows that Shreve’s inability to understand Quentin’s
tells Quentin to continue the story. Quentin is silent at first, story intuitively (which Shreve would, if he were raised in the South
contemplating how different he and Shreve are. While Quentin and grew up haunted by its past) creates distance and unfamiliarity
was born in Mississippi, Shreve was born in Alberta, Canada. between the college roommates.

Quentin tells Shreve that it took Sutpen 30 years to continue It’s almost comical that Sutpen takes a 30-year hiatus to resume
telling the story to Quentin’s grandfather, perhaps because telling Quentin’s grandfather the story of his life, but it also
Sutpen was too busy “furthering that design which he had in reinforces Sutpen’s disregard for others—even people like Quentin’s
mind.” In those intervening years, he finished his house and grandfather who consider Sutpen their friend. Sutpen tells his story
settled down with a wife “and two children—no, three.” He had the same way he does everything else in life: entirely on his own
been arrested for the shady business dealings he engaged in to terms, and for nobody’s benefit but his own.
buy the house but was later released. Afterward, he got rich off
cultivating the land with the seed Quentin’s grandfather loaned
him.

Shreve interjects at this point to ask about Sutpen’s shady Quentin’s sparse details here suggest that it was Mr. Compson who
business dealings and how Mr. Coldfield was involved in them. told him about Sutpen’s illicit business deals—everything that Mr.
Quentin only knows vague details and mentions something Compson knows about Sutpen comes from his father, General
about “a bill of lading” and a questionable way Sutpen Compson, who was Sutpen’s friend. Because of this, details about
instructed Mr. Coldfield to use his credit. Sutpen apparently Sutpen that Quentin gleans from his father tend to minimize
persuaded Mr. Coldfield to join him in the venture by promising Sutpen’s bad behavior and portray him in a more sympathetic light.
to take the fall if they got caught. Coldfield supposedly doubted Meanwhile, he extends far less sympathy to people whom Sutpen
the scheme would even work in the first place, which is how his wronged—like Mr. Coldfield. Here, for instance, he portrays Mr.
“conscience” allowed him to participate in it at all. And when it Coldfield as having a slippery “conscience” and a hatred of the
did fail, it wasn’t Sutpen he hated but “his conscience and the South, taking an almost nihilistic pleasure in the knowledge of the
land.” In fact, he “hated that country so much that he was even inevitability of the Civil War. This stands in contrast to Sutpen, who
glad when he saw it drifting closer and closer to a doomed and has a clear sense of what he wants, knows what moral compromise
fatal war.” is involved in getting it, and has formed his entire sense of self
around the South.

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Shreve urges Quentin to continue the story of Sutpen’s Sutpen’s impulse to tell Quentin’s grandfather his story—to “explain”
“design,” and Quentin obliges, telling the story Sutpen resumed the trajectory of his life—gestures toward the power of storytelling
telling to Quentin’s grandfather 30 years after he abruptly to create lasting truth. Sutpen’s children have failed to carry on his
stopped. At this point, Sutpen recognizes he’s old and doesn’t legacy—Judith and Clytie by being born female and Henry, the male
want to excuse any of his behavior—he just wants to “explain” heir, first by rejecting his family name and then by becoming a
himself before time runs out. fugitive. But telling his story to General Compson, on the other
hand, immortalizes his “design” and the ambition that fueled it.

As Quentin speaks, Shreve jokingly remarks that Quentin Shreve’s remark about Quentin sounding like Mr. Compson mirrors
sounds just like his father. This prompts Quentin to sink into an Quentin’s earlier observation about Shreve. In both cases, the
internal, rambling, stream-of-consciousness meditation on characters gesture toward the ability of storytelling to bring to life
himself, his father, and Shreve. He wonders if perhaps stories and immortalize the past—Shreve and Quentin’s storytelling
aren’t started and finished but simply dissolve into the next, immortalizes Mr. Compson’s words and could continue to do so long
“like ripples maybe on water after the pebble sinks.” after Mr. Compson passes. Mr. Compson’s words have done the
same for Sutpen. Finally, Quentin’s cryptic tangent is typical for
Faulkner, who frequently draws on the stream of consciousness
technique in his writing. Quentin’s cryptic observation that stories
dissolve into the next “like ripples maybe on water after the
pebble sinks” resists a straightforward interpretation, but it seems
to gesture toward the inability of stories to convey truth. Each
retelling gets further from the truth, like the water that ripples out
after a rock hits water.

Back in the past, as Sutpen tells his story to Quentin’s Until now, the novel has only alluded to the existence of Sutpen’s
grandfather, he tries to explain his choice to disown his first first wife. Here, it offers clear confirmation of the woman’s existence
wife and child. Quentin’s grandfather considers this while also revealing the critical and perhaps shocking detail that
unconscionable, and Sutpen agrees but merely explains that he Sutpen had a child with his first wife—and that he abandoned them
reasoned with his conscience until he could accept and live with both upon learning of the woman’s apparent mixed-race ancestry.
his choice. Plus, he didn’t just walk out on the woman: he The stiff, impersonal language with which Sutpen rationalizes his
provided for her and her son. Sutpen vaguely alludes to why he decision to abandon his first wife and child suggests that it’s not an
chose to abandon the woman, seeming to suggest that she inherent, hateful sense of racism that fuels his decision—his choice
misrepresented herself as white (and passed as white) when is impersonal and amoral, informed by the simple fact that the
she in fact had Black ancestry. And Sutpen being married to a racialized social hierarchy of plantation culture of the pre-war South
woman of Black descent “would have made an ironic delusion would never accept the woman and child due to their ancestry,
of all that he had suffered and endured in the past and all that meaning the child could never be a suitable heir to Sutpen’s dynasty.
he could ever accomplish in the future toward that design.” The woman and child therefore stand as obstacles to Sutpen’s one
goal in life: to realize his “ambition” and achieve respectability in the
South.

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At this point, Shreve wordlessly rises and goes to put on his Recall that Shreve has already heard this entire story—he’s asking
bathrobe, leaving Quentin alone at the table with the opened Quentin to go back and clarify certain points that don’t make sense
letter. When he returns, he urges Quentin to pick up the story to him. Thus, his request that Quentin elaborate on Sutpen and
on the Christmas that Henry brought Charles Bon home to Henry’s fateful Christmas Eve argument, right after Quentin has
Sutpen’s Hundred for Christmas, during which Sutpen—“the been describing Sutpen’s choice to abandon his first wife and child,
demon”—recognized “the face he believed he had paid off and suggests that the two topics are linked—specifically, that Bon is “the
discharged twenty-eight years ago.” Quentin obliges. face [Sutpen] believed he had paid off and discharged twenty-eight
years ago,” or Sutpen’s abandoned eldest son.

Quentin explains that General Compson thinks that Sutpen Quentin’s father’s scathing description of Sutpen’s children as “that
probably named Charles Bon himself, just as he’d named all his entire fecundity of dragons’ teeth” reflects his sympathetic view of
other children—“that entire fecundity of dragons’ teeth,” which Sutpen—and his harsh view of anyone who was an obstacle to
is how Quentin’s father refers to Sutpen’s collective children. Sutpen’s ambition. Collectively, Sutpen’s children failed to carry on
his dynasty, and so Mr. Compson condemns them, likening them to
sharp and destructive dragons’ teeth.

Shreve interrupts Quentin to ask why Quentin’s father told Shreve astutely identifies an oddity in Mr. Compson’s version of
Quentin that the fight between Sutpen and Henry (and the events: wouldn’t it make more sense for Sutpen to prohibit the
reason Sutpen prohibited the marriage between Bon and marriage between Bon and Judith because they are half-siblings?
Judith) was about Bon’s relationship with his mistress (using an Bigamy would certainly carry less social stigma than incest, after all.
outdated racial term to describe her). Quentin explains that his Quentin’s admission that his father never knew Bon was Sutpen’s
father didn’t know that Bon was Sutpen’s son. Sutpen never son is a major plot twist. Bon’s being Sutpen’s son severely changes
told him—Quentin did, after he and Miss Rosa went to the the significance of nearly every Sutpen family conflict the reader has
house that one night. (Quentin trails off here, apparently learned about thus far (Henry and Sutpen’s falling out, Henry’s
unable to articulate aloud what happened at the house and murder of Bon, Judith’s relationship with Bon and her sense of
what he and Miss Rosa found there.) responsibility toward his illegitimate child), and for Mr. Compson
not to know this major detail severely undermines the authenticity
of his version of events.

Quentin continues his story. Upon realizing that Bon is the son It’s unclear where Quentin has learned these details of Sutpen’s
he abandoned in the West Indies, Sutpen doesn’t think of Bon’s story, given his admission that Mr. Compson wasn’t aware of Bon’s
arrival as “the sins of the father come home to roost.” Rather, he relationship to the Sutpen family until Quentin told him after his
thinks of it as “just a mistake.” And so, he gets to work ensuring visit to Sutpen’s Hundred with Miss Rosa. Perhaps the details in this
that he doesn’t “mak[e] another one.” So, he lets Bon stay in his passage represent Mr. Compson’s amended version of events after
house for the duration of the vacation. Ellen arranges for Bon learning this critical bit of information. Or perhaps Quentin is
and Judith’s engagement even before Bon arrives—she might merely speculating about what Sutpen must have thought when he
have gotten the idea in her head from the moment she saw first recognized his abandoned son. Regardless, Quentin here makes
Bon’s name mentioned in one of Henry’s letters (at least, this is the case that Sutpen saw Bon as a threat to his “design” and so
what Quentin’s grandfather assumes must have happened). began a series of strategic decisions geared toward ensuring that
Bon’s return wouldn’t upend the life he’d built for himself in the
intervening years.

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After Christmas, Henry and Bon return to Oxford for school, Now that readers know that Bon is Sutpen’s son, it opens Bon’s
and Bon’s letters to Judith start to arrive at Sutpen’s Hundred. pursuit of Judith to new avenues of interpretation—some of which
Ellen, meanwhile, starts spreading news of the supposed support Mr. Compson’s critical portrayal of Bon as scheming and
“engagement” around Jefferson. Sutpen does nothing until opportunistic. For instance, if readers assume that Bon knows that
spring, when Henry writes to say Bon will be staying at Sutpen is his father, it’s plausible to interpret Bon’s incestuous—and
Sutpen’s Hundred with him for a couple nights before interracial—courtship of Judith as his plan to get back at Sutpen for
continuing on to his home in New Orleans. Sutpen later leaves abandoning him as a child. While Bon’s rage certainly is justified, his
for New Orleans, though it’s unclear what his plan is: to speak using Judith to exact his revenge is hardly honorable.
with Bon and Bon’s mother and reach an agreement, or
perhaps to pay them to leave Sutpen and his family alone.

Nobody even knows if Bon even knew that Sutpen was his This passage gestures toward the impossible task of knowing the
father in the first place—and even if he did know, and originally truth about everything that happened between Bon, Henry, Judith,
went to Sutpen’s Hundred to court Judith to punish Sutpen for and Sutpen—without knowing what information each character
abandoning his mother, perhaps he later ended up genuinely was privy to, one can only speculate on what their motivations
falling in love with Judith. might have been. If Bon didn’t know Sutpen was his father, for
instance, his courtship of Judith becomes romantic and tragic
rather than vengeful and immoral.

Whatever Sutpen went to New Orleans to accomplish doesn’t In keeping with behavior that he has exhibited his whole life, Sutpen
work out, apparently, and Bon returns to Sutpen’s Hundred exploits other people to further his design. After realizing that Bon is
that Christmas. At this point, Sutpen realizes (in this telling of determined to carry out his scheme to marry Judith, Sutpen resorts
the story) that there is no stopping Bon, so he shifts his focus to to a backup plan, hoping that Henry’s admiration for and loyalty to
Henry. Sutpen (Quentin’s grandfather believed) knows that Bon will compel Henry to go to New Orleans, discover the truth
Henry will take “the lie” Sutpen tells him as truth. He also about Bon (Henry, the born-and-raised Southern gentleman, would
probably thinks he knows what Henry will do in response: find Bon’s bigamy as immoral as incest), and turn him against Bon.
renounce Sutpen and leave with Bon, then go to New Orleans Quentin’s grandfather seems to think Sutpen may have predicted
to confirm the truth for himself. Thus, Sutpen is counting on and even hoped that Henry’s betrayal of Bon would drive him to
Henry to do it. Perhaps Sutpen even hopes that either Bon or murder. It speaks to Sutpen’s asocial personality that he would
Henry will get killed in the impending war (it’s 1861 at this exploit and manipulate his own children to further his ambition.
point).

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Sutpen, upon returning home from the war, goes to see Sutpen anguishes over what to do not because his choice could
Quentin’s grandfather to see if he can guess what “mistake” harm his children, but because it could harm his “design.” This
Sutpen made and how it has come back to haunt him. During reinforces his asocial personality. He sees even his own children as
their conversation, Sutpen laments the fact that whichever means to an end—or obstacles that will prevent him from realizing
course he decides to take going forward, the “design” to which his design. Sutpen believes his design is doomed at this point
he’s dedicated so much of his life will be ruined. His first option because his options for dealing with Bon are limited. The “last trump
involves destroying his design himself “if [he] is forced to play card” he refers to involves destroying his design himself, revealing
[his] last trump card,” and his second option is to do nothing. the truth about Bon to Henry and letting Henry destroy Bon and
The second option will result in Sutpen’s design “complet[ing] himself. This option destroys Sutpen’s design because it leaves him
itself quite normally and naturally and successfully to the public without an heir: Bon would be dead, and Henry would be a criminal.
eye,” but it’ll be “a betrayal” of his younger self who the enslaved The other option is to do nothing to stop Bon, and to accept Bon—a
man insulted many years ago. This insult was what inspired mixed-race man—as his son and thus destroying the image of
Sutpen to initiate his design in the first place. Southern respectability he’s spent decades curating. If the whole
point of Sutpen’s design is to never have anyone shut a door in his or
one of his son’s faces ever again, then accepting Bon as his son ruins
this—as a mixed-race man living in the South, Bon will have infinite
doors shut in his face.

Vaguely and cryptically, Sutpen goes into more detail about the Sutpen’s “first choice” (marrying Bon’s mother) requires Sutpen to
“first choice” which made it necessary to make this second make a second choice (to deal with Bon in one way or another)
choice now: the choice to marry a woman who wasn’t honest because of Bon’s race. Sutpen here cryptically suggests that Bon’s
with Sutpen about something, which he only found out about mother disclosed her mixed-race ancestry to Sutpen, which is what
“after the child was born.” compelled Sutpen to leave her and Bon then and what compels him
to rid himself of Bon now: in both cases, it’s because Bon’s mixed-
race identity (even if Bon passes as white, which seems to be the
case) is incompatible with Southern “respectability” and thus
threatens Sutpen’s plan.

Shreve interrupts Quentin’s story at this point to clarify that Shreve is alluding to the fact of Bon’s mixed-race heritage, and
Quentin’s grandfather didn’t know what Sutpen was talking Quentin confirms that neither his grandfather nor father knew this
about when he mentioned the first wife not being upfront with about Bon—and Quentin only knows because he and the other boys
him. He also asks if Quentin himself wouldn’t have known what saw Clytie and Jim Bond (Charles Bon’s grandson, who apparently
anybody who told him Sutpen’s story was talking about, had he is obviously of mixed-race ancestry) and put two and two together.
and the other boys not “been out there and see Clytie.” Quentin This further complicates Quentin’s father’s and grandfather’s
says yes to both questions and adds that his grandfather was abilities to tell the full truth about Sutpen. Not knowing about Bon’s
Sutpen’s only friend. Then the intense coldness of Shreve’s and mixed-race ancestry explains why Quentin’s father believed Sutpen
his room distracts him. Shreve hugs himself for warmth, and prohibited Bon’s courtship of Judith because he knew about Bon’s
Quentin inwardly notes Shreve’s “pink naked almost hairless mistress and child back in New Orleans—and why, presumably,
skin” beneath his bathrobe. Quentin’s grandfather believed Sutpen prohibited the courtship due
to the threat of incest. Quentin and Shreve, with their more
complete understanding of the story, may come closer to the truth:
that Sutpen prohibited the marriage not because of the bigamy or
threat of incest, but because of the threat that Bon’s race posed to
Sutpen’s design.

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Shreve clarifies that Sutpen “chose lechery,” making a joke that Quentin and Shreve are around the same age, yet Quentin sees
he would do the same. Then he asks Quentin to continue telling himself as older and warier than Shreve. The reason for this relates
Sutpen’s story. Quentin notes the mocking tone of Shreve’s back to remarks Quentin made in the first chapter of the novel
remark and inwardly muses that Shreve isn’t being about being haunted by ghosts even though he doesn’t deserve to
flippant—rather, his tone is the consequence of “that be—his Southern roots force him to inherit the weight of slavery, the
incorrigible unsentimental sentimentality of the young which South’s great, unacknowledged sin. Shreve’s contrasting “hard and
takes the form of hard and often crass levity.” Quentin ignores often crass levity” comes from his not having to shoulder this
Shreve’s joking and resumes his story, picking up when Sutpen burden.
leaves for Virginia following his discussion with Quentin’s
grandfather about what to do about Bon’s reappearance and
intentions with Judith.

From Sutpen, Quentin’s grandfather learns that Sutpen rode to Sutpen is putting into action the choice he made about how to deal
Quentin’s grandfather’s old regiment’s headquarters and spoke with Bon—whatever he tells Henry likely directly influences Henry’s
to Henry there. Then he left that same night. (Shreve, in the ultimate choice to murder Bon to prevent Bon from marrying
present, clarifies that Sutpen made his choice to “play[] that Judith. Shreve's refusal to stop making jokes—especially during such
trump card after all.” He continues to add commentary despite a tense pivotal point in the story—reinforces the distance that exists
Quentin’s increasingly agitated pleas for him to stop.) between Quentin and Shreve due to their different origins.

In the present, Quentin briefly finds himself unable to speak, Quentin’s anxiety about “hav[ing] to hear it all again” mirrors other
becoming consumed with anxiety about “hav[ing] to hear it all characters’ inabilities to pass through doors or gates: it’s an inability
again” as he tells the rest of the story to Shreve. At this point, or unwillingness to acknowledge and accept hard truths about
the narrative perspective becomes unclear as it describes history, the past, and their potential complicity within it. Sutpen’s
Sutpen returning home from the war. He finds out that Henry brief tears could suggest that he’s sad about having his son killed,
murdered Bon, and he briefly cries before swiftly resuming his but he could just as easily be crying about the loss of his
life. The problem he needed solved (Bon) is no longer a dynasty—now that Henry is a fugitive, he’ll need a new son to make
concern. his heir.

The narrative (from a different but still unclear perspective) Sutpen’s confidence about being able to start a new family for a
then documents Quentin’s father’s thoughts on Sutpen’s third time reflects the singlemindedness of his ambition. Where his
actions in the aftermath of Bon’s death. Mr. Compson design is concerned, he can’t and won’t accept defeat. Only time
speculates that Sutpen wasn’t “concerned […] about the stands in his way—or so he thinks. Rosa’s rejection of Sutpen marks
courage and the will, nor even about the shrewdness now. He a turning point in his efforts—the power he’s amassed is starting to
was not for one moment concerned about his ability to start crumple, and other people are standing in the way of him
the third time,” but he was worried about having enough time completing his design.
to start and finish his design (he’s now in his sixties). So, upon
his return to Sutpen’s Hundred, he immediately gets to work.
He gets engaged to Miss Rosa, “suggest[s] what he suggest[s]
to her,” and then Rosa, insulted, leaves Sutpen’s Hundred for
good.

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Quentin’s story picks up with Sutpen’s efforts to regain his Slowly—perhaps too slowly—Sutpen is learning that his ambition
wealth following the Civil War. He and Wash Jones operate a doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s subject to other people and to forces
general store, but most of the customers are newly freed Black larger and more powerful than himself, like the South’s decimated
people, and Sutpen gets tired of serving them. He locks up the economy following the Civil War and the shifting social landscape.
shop and drinks until he’s unconscious. Wash Jones, Sutpen created his design to achieve respectability in the planation
meanwhile, resents that the freed Black people—a race of culture of the pre-war South—but following the Confederacy’s loss
people “that the Bible said had been created and cursed by God of the Civil War, that culture doesn’t exist in quite the same way, and
to be brute and vassal to all men of white skin”—are better Sutpen hasn’t altered his design to fit the changing times. His failure
dressed than him and his granddaughter. He’s bitter toward to acknowledge the changes the South has undergone and adapt his
Clytie, who won’t even let him enter Sutpen’s house. design accordingly will be his demise. Wash Jones exhibits a similar
stubbornness: he’s aghast that Clytie, a former enslaved woman,
denies him entry to Sutpen’s mansion.

Meanwhile, Sutpen begins a sexual relationship with Wash The “Kernel” whose gifts Wash Jones delivers to his granddaughter
Jones’s granddaughter, Milly. Wash accepts the situation is Colonel Sutpen. That Wash Jones calls him “Kernel” suggests that
initially, delivering gifts from the “Kernel” to Milly. Milly walks Jones is uneducated or lower class. That Milly is so easily won over
around town flaunting these gifts from Sutpen—beads and by beads and ribbons emphasizes her youth and makes Sutpen’s
ribbons, and even a new dress. One day, Quentin’s grandfather pursuit of her all the more craven and unconscionable. Once more,
ventures by Sutpen’s store and hears Sutpen and Wash arguing Sutpen’s behavior demonstrates his steadfast commitment to his
about Milly. ambition and his lack of regard for others.

Sometime later, Judith hears Sutpen leave the house and If the reader takes Quentin’s grandfather’s claim to have overheard
figures he’s headed toward the stable. It’s unclear how much an argument between Sutpen and Wash Jones at face value, it’s
she could have guessed about Wash’s granddaughter’s logical to guess that Wash Jones has murdered Sutpen, though the
condition or how much she discerned from what Clytie knew. precise details of how Jones killed Sutpen or what motivated him to
When Sutpen doesn’t return by midafternoon, she pays a boy commit murder remains unclear at this point. Presumably Milly’s
to go down to the fish camp and ask Wash for Sutpen’s condition—meaning her pregnancy—had something to do with it.
whereabouts. He screams when he sees what he sees, though Regardless, Sutpen’s death marks the point at which his blind
it’s not clear if he stumbles upon the scythe or Sutpen’s body ambition finally went too far—he insulted the wrong person at the
first. wrong time in the wrong way, and he’s paid the ultimate price.

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A week later, they track down the midwife who fills in the As repeatedly happens throughout the book, readers (and most of
details of the events that led up to Sutpen’s death. Sutpen the book’s characters) learn about an important plot development
apparently went to the stable where Wash’s granddaughter not firsthand but through hearsay. If what the midwife says is true,
and the baby she’d just given birth to were lying on the pallet. then it seems that Sutpen asked Milly the sex of her baby (“horse or
He asked her if the baby was a “horse or mare,” and she told mare”), she gave him an answer that displeased him (likely she told
him. In response, he told her it’s “too bad [she’s] not a mare too. him the baby was a girl), and so he tossed her aside as easily as he
Then I could give you a decent stall in the stable.” Wash Jones initiated their relationship. Milly’s worth to Sutpen was entirely
overheard the insult and killed Sutpen with a scythe. dependent on her ability to produce a male heir to his
dynasty—because she failed at this task, he deems her less worthy
than one of his horses. When Wash Jones kills Sutpen in retaliation,
it shows how misguided Sutpen has been to believe that he could
build a life entirely by his own hand without others’ interference. In
fact, his words and actions affect others and have consequences.

News of Wash’s murder of Sutpen spreads around town. This gruesome scene describes the violent deaths that Wash Jones
Quentin’s grandfather, Major de Spain (the sheriff), and a group inflicted upon his granddaughter and her newborn after he killed
of other men assemble, bringing dogs with them. The group Sutpen—he takes the scythe to their neckbones, using such force
surrounds the stable, where Wash Jones has barricaded that the crowd of men assembled outside the stable can apparently
himself with his granddaughter and the new baby. The men hear it. His reasons for doing so are unclear, but perhaps it’s as a
plead with Wash to leave, but he refuses. Then they hear the symbolic affront to Sutpen, killing off his youngest offspring and her
granddaughter scream, and all the men outside (minus de mother to ensure that Sutpen’s third attempt at a family dies with
Spain) swear they can “hear[] the knife on both the neckbones.” him.
Wash exits the stable and lunges toward the group of men with
the scythe, but they overpower and kill him.

In the present, Shreve expresses disbelief that Sutpen, after Quentin’s casual tone as he clarifies that Milly’s baby was a girl
wanting a son for so many years, could insult Milly, taunting speaks to Sutpen’s cold, unfeeling character. It doesn’t strike
Wash Jones into killing first him and then the baby. Quentin Quentin as even marginally interesting that Sutpen would react so
looks up, puzzled, and corrects Shreve: the baby was a girl. callously to Milly’s giving birth to a girl.
Shreve only says, “Oh,” then tells Quentin it’s time to “get out of
this damn icebox and go to bed.”

CHAPTER 8
Quentin and Shreve sit in a college sitting room. Shreve Sutpen’s death and Wash Jones’s motive for killing him are fairly
continues to make sense of Quentin’s story. He speculates that straightforward, so Quentin and Shreve redirect their attention to
Sutpen sent for Henry and told him that Judith and Bon parts of the story where conflicting accounts leave room for
couldn’t marry because Bon was their brother, and Henry ambiguity. They’re determined to arrive at some semblance of the
instantly replied, “You lie.” Though from the grave expression on truth about why Henry turned on Bon. Shreve proposes a
Sutpen’s face, Shreve guesses, Henry would have known that hypothetical situation where Sutpen tells Henry that Bon is his
Sutpen was telling him the truth. As Quentin and Shreve retell brother and that’s why Henry turns on Bon. The rather surreal
Sutpen’s story, it’s as though they’re transported from their description of Quentin and Shreve being transported back in time to
New England college to the Mississippi library where Sutpen the library at Sutpen’s Hundred where this hypothetical fight takes
first disclosed the truth about Bon to Henry. place illustrates the transformative potential of narrative.

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Quentin and Shreve continue to debate what must have Shreve proposes yet another interpretation: Sutpen did tell Henry
happened in the library that day. Shreve says that it wasn’t just that Bon was his brother—but claimed that Bon wasn’t aware of
the fact that Bon was Henry and Judith’s brother that Sutpen this fact. In Shreve’s version of events, Bon’s mother is the architect
disclosed to Henry—Sutpen also told Henry that Bon knew of Sutpen’s demise, throwing her unwitting son to the wolves to get
about this all along. Shreve thinks that Bon’s mother in New back at Sutpen for abandoning them. As the novel progresses,
Orleans must have been bitter about Sutpen’s abandonment characters’ speculations get more and more outlandish. Shreve’s
and begun grooming Bon to take revenge on Sutpen for years, imagination runs especially wild because he has no personal stake
waiting for just the right moment to get even with Sutpen. They in any of the details he’s speculating on. While Shreve and Quentin
imagine her hiring a lawyer to track Sutpen’s every movement portray Bon as hedonistic, as Mr. Compson had in his telling of the
and business transaction, waiting until Sutpen had amassed a story, they’re doing so in an admiring rather than a critical way. Mr.
suitable amount of wealth to put her plan into action. Compson sees Bon as the villain, but Shreve and Quentin see him as
Meanwhile, they imagine that Bon spends all the money his a tragic hero of sorts.
mother receives from Sutpen “on his whores and his
champagne,” and on fine clothing.

Next Shreve and Quentin imagine how Bon came to attend Quentin and Shreve continue to make (seemingly) baseless
college. In their retelling, Bon leaves home to attend college in speculations about how Bon came to Mississippi and made Henry’s
Mississippi at age 28. It’s unclear whether the lawyer or Bon’s acquaintance, reaffirming the story’s overarching point about the
mother made this decision for him. Someone—the lawyer or difficulty of knowing the truth about history.
the mother—selected, of all places, the University of
Mississippi at Oxford for Bon to attend.

In Shreve and Quentin’s retelling of the story, the lawyer sends Shreve and Quentin’s retelling of the story portrays Bon in a far
a letter to Henry Sutpen, introducing Bon to Henry as the son more sympathetic light than Mr. Compson’s version—they seem to
of a widowed gentlewoman (not as Henry’s brother) in advance see Bon as a victim of his mother and the lawyer’s scheming rather
of Bon’s arrival in Oxford. Then Quentin and Shreve imagine than the main instigator of a plot to get back at Sutpen. They also
Bon and Henry’s first meeting. They imagine Henry being seem to sentimentalize Bon and Henry’s friendship. Meanwhile,
enchanted by Bon’s cosmopolitan upbringing. They imagine their suggestion that Henry could have remarked that he’d want to
how, over drinks one night, Henry clumsily lets it slip that if he have a brother like Bon could be seen as an attempt to shift some of
had a brother, he’d want that brother to be exactly like Bon. the blame for the tragedies to come onto Henry—as though Henry, if
only subconsciously, sensed that Bon had deep ties to the family
and chose to ignore these thoughts.

In the novel’s present, Shreve announces to Quentin that Shreve wants to romanticize or dramatize the Sutpen saga more
they’re now “going to talk about love.” In Shreve’s telling of the than Quentin, pushing for a version of the story that portrays Henry
story, he imagines Bon teaching Henry how to lounge around in and Bon’s relationship as more akin to romance than platonic
a dressing gown and slippers, “such as woman wore,” wearing friendship. It’s clear that Shreve sees the Sutpen story as
colognes “such as women used, smoking a cigar almost as a entertainment—he doesn’t associate it with the inherited burden of
woman might smoke it.” Meanwhile, Bon wonders if Henry can the South’s history as Quentin does. Bon’s teaching Henry to don
see the resemblance between them. Shreve, in the present, feminine clothes and perform feminine behavior becomes a
ruminates on what Bon wanted from Henry—if he just wanted seduction of sorts. This version of the story portrays Bon far less
to influence Henry, or to get rid of him. sympathetically than Quentin’s and Shreve’s other retellings. The
multiple and conflicting versions of Bon’s involvement with the
Sutpen family reinforces the novel’s broader examination of
storytelling and the impossibility of reaching any objective truth,
particularly about historical events.

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Shreve and Quentin continue their story, picking up the Here, Shreve somewhat redacts his earlier portrayal of Bon as
Christmas that Henry invites Bon to accompany him to scheming seducer, suggesting that Bon’s reasons for ingratiating
Sutpen’s Hundred. Shreve speculates what Bon’s intentions himself with the Sutpen family were reasonable and just—he merely
were with Sutpen and muses that perhaps Bon only wanted wanted the father who had abandoned him as a child to
Sutpen to see him, recognize him, and acknowledge him as his acknowledge him as his son. In Shreve’s telling, Sutpen is more in the
son. But Shreve hypothesizes that when Bon arrives at wrong than Bon for cruelly rejecting him a second time.
Sutpen’s Hundred and comes face to face with Sutpen, Sutpen
does not acknowledge Bon as his son.

Shreve, in the present, guesses that Ellen must have executed Shreve further shifts blame for the Bon-Henry-Judith tragedy away
her own scheme to marry Judith to Bon, something she’d been from Bon and toward the Sutpen family as a whole. He seems to
planning since Henry first mentioned Bon in one of his letters propose that the romance between Bon and Judith might not have
home. In Shreve’s telling, Ellen goes out of her way to arrange happened had Ellen not inserted herself in the middle and done
for Bon and Judith to be alone together—in the parlor or library everything she could to encourage their engagement. Quentin’s
or in afternoon buggy rides. As they imagine the details of Bon refusal to believe there was genuine love between Bon and Judith
and Judith’s courtship, Shreve and Quentin argue over whether indicates his refusal to romanticize the tragedy of the Sutpen family,
Judith and Bon truly loved each other. Shreve thinks they did, which hits home for him in a deeper, more personal way as a
but Quentin resists this notion. Southerner than it does for Shreve, for whom the story is simply
entertainment.

Quentin and Shreve’s story of Henry and Bon continues. Henry In this version of the story, Shreve and Quentin continue to shift full
and Bon return to Sutpen’s Hundred—Bon’s second visit—the blame away from Bon, suggesting that Bon hardly went out of his
following June. This time Sutpen isn’t there, and nobody knows way to woo Judith—Ellen was far more interested in their courtship
where he’s gone—nobody but Bon, who must know that Sutpen than Bon was. As Quentin and Shreve see it, Bon’s central aim had
has gone to New Orleans to confirm the truth once and for all. always been to persuade his father to acknowledge him—a noble
On this visit, Bon continues to court Judith, and they exchange aim, in their eyes.
their first kiss—but nothing else happens. Henry and Bon leave
two days later. To Ellen’s dismay, Bon hasn’t yet proposed to
Judith.

Then Bon returns home to New Orleans. He never learns if Shreve further shifts blame away from Bon, reaffirming his earlier
Sutpen was actually there. In Shreve’s version of the story, Bon guess that Bon’s mother and the lawyer she hired to follow Sutpen’s
confirms the truth of the lawyer and his mother’s scheme movement and business activities are the actors truly at the center
through the lawyer’s strategic questions about the “country of the plot against Sutpen. Note that Shreve’s theories repeatedly
families” Bon has met up in Mississippi. September passes, and contradict one another, with some versions claiming that Bon
still neither the lawyer nor Bon’s mother directly brings up the knows Sutpen is his father and knowingly inserts himself into
matter of Sutpen with Bon. Sutpen’s life, and others claiming that only Bon’s mother and the
lawyer know that Sutpen is Bon’s father.

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Bon returns to school, where Henry is waiting for him. It’s at Shreve here suggests that Bon’s mother and the lawyer’s implicit
this point (Shreve guesses) that Bon finally starts writing admission to Bon about Sutpen being Bon’s father was what
letters to Judith, with “Charles Bon” written clearly on the prompted Bon to invest himself in a romance with Judith. He writes
outside for Sutpen to see. Bon wonders if maybe Sutpen will his name, intentionally and visibly, on the outside of letters to Judith
send the letter back to him, and that will be the sign—the as though to goad Sutpen with the threat to escalate the situation
recognition—that Bon needs. with Judith if Sutpen doesn’t do as Bon wishes and acknowledge
him as his son.

Then (in Shreve’s telling), it’s Christmas once more, and Bon This visit marks a major turning point in Bon’s relationship with the
and Henry return to Sutpen’s Hundred. Bon expects that this Sutpen family, and each character who addresses it proposes a
will be the visit that Sutpen acknowledges him. Sutpen returns different version of events. In Mr. Compson’s version, Sutpen tells
to the house that evening and summons Henry into the library Henry about Bon’s other family in New Orleans. In general
and tells him the truth about Bon’s identity. Then Henry Compson’s story—and seemingly in Shreve and Quentin’s,
emerges from the library, and he and Bon walk wordlessly too—Sutpen tells Henry that Bon is their brother. Readers are left in
through the garden and into the stable. They saddle their the lurch, as it’s not clear which version of events comes closest to
horses and get ready to leave. what actually happened.

In the present, Shreve stops speaking, and he and Quentin sit This surreal passage reinforces the transformative, reality-shaping
together in silence. It’s not even clear which of them has been effects of storytelling. Shreve and Quentin’s speculative retellings of
retelling Sutpen’s story, nor does it matter. Their shared the Sutpen tragedy metaphorically transport them back in time.
retelling of the story transports them back in time to that cold This symbolizes how convinced they are that their version of the
December when Bon and Henry set off together on horseback: story reflects the truth of what happened. As they speculate on the
“four of them and then just two—Charles-Shreve and Quentin- past, that imagined version of the past becomes vivid and alive for
Henry.” Both realize how Sutpen has set about their ruin, and them—as though it actually happened, when in fact nobody can say
neither thinks that Bon has known the truth all along, which is for sure that this is the case.
why he’s acted the way he has.

It’s 1860 now, and Bon and Henry go to Bon’s home in New This version of the story affirms that all three of the possible truths
Orleans together. Henry meets Bon’s mother, “the Haiti-born about Bon that Sutpen could have told Henry that fateful
daughter of the French sugar planter” whose father had lied to Christmas Eve in the library are true—Bon’s mother (and therefore
Sutpen about her racial background. In Shreve and Quentin’s Bon) has Black ancestry, Bon has a mistress and child in New
imagined version of the story, she already knows that Bon is “in Orleans, and Bon is Henry and Judith’s half-brother. This version
love” with Judith—Henry doesn’t even need to tell her. Shreve doesn’t make clear which truth Sutpen told Henry, though. It also
and Quentin imagine that Bon must have taken Henry to see doesn’t specify whether Henry is aware of Bon’s Black ancestry. In
Bon’s mistress and Charles Etienne (this is what Mr. Compson addition, one distinct point on which Shreve and Quentin break
thinks happened, too). But Shreve and Quentin don’t think the with Mr. Compson is on how Henry would have responded to Bon’s
visit bothered Henry as much as Mr. Compson suspects it did. showing him his mistress and taking him to a brothel. Mr. Compson
In fact, they suspect that the mistress only made Henry envy believes the experience would have scandalized Henry, but Quentin
Bon more. and Shreve, who perhaps represent a more modern viewpoint,
believe Bon’s sexual prowess would only have enticed Henry more.

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In Shreve and Quentin’s telling of the story, the lawyer and Bon Shreve and Quentin, like General Compson, believe that Bon was
will finally reach an understanding—if only an unspoken one. aware that Sutpen was his father, but their accounts differ regarding
The lawyer will tell Bon that he’s “fortunate,” for most people when Bon found out. In Shreve and Quentin’s version, Bon only
who are “lucky enough to get [their] revenge […] must pay for confirms his parentage now. And Bon’s violent reaction to the
it[.]” Bon reacts violently, attacking the lawyer. Eventually he lawyer suggests that Bon doesn’t relish taking revenge on Sutpen. To
assures the lawyer he won’t hurt him, and the lawyer the contrary, he seems to wish that things could be settled
apologizes, insisting that he “misunderstood [Bon’s] feelings peacefully—that Sutpen would just acknowledge him as his son and
about the matter.” have that be that.

Time passes. Abraham Lincoln is elected president, the South Once more, Quentin and Shreve portray Bon more sympathetically
draws out of the Union, and then there are two presidents. than Mr. Compson does. Their version of the story suggests that
Then the Civil War begins. Shreve and Quentin imagine the Bon was willing to back down and halt his plans to marry Judith if
conversation Henry and Bon must have had around that time. Sutpen would do him the basic courtesy of acknowledging him as
Henry, they imagine, must be shocked that Bon is still planning his son—and yet Sutpen repeatedly failed to do so. Read as an
to go through with his plan to marry Judith to get back at allegory for the South, then, Sutpen’s refusal to acknowledge Bon or
Sutpen. Bon, in their retelling, explains that he waited years for repent for abandoning him symbolizes the South’s refusal to
Sutpen to claim him as his son, and yet he refused. At first Bon acknowledge or repent for slavery in the aftermath of the Civil War.
thought that perhaps Sutpen simply didn’t know Bon was his
son, but after Sutpen called Henry into the library that day, it
confirmed for Bon that Sutpen did indeed know Bon was his
son—he simply refused to recognize him as such. Henry pleads
with Bon to call off the revenge plot and to think of Judith, but
Bon refuses.

Henry doesn’t disapprove of Bon’s plan. Instead, he tells Bon he Rather bizarrely, perhaps, Henry is accepting of the idea of Bon and
needs time to get used to the idea of Bon marrying their sister. Judith’s incestuous marriage, rationalizing what would be
Then it’s Christmas 1861. They haven’t heard from Judith considered a major social taboo in his day with the notion that
because Henry still won’t let Judith write to Bon. The “kings have done it,” alluding to historical occurrences of incest. This
University Grays are organizing on campus, and Bon and Henry peripherally references the biblical story that gives the novel its title,
join them. Henry comes around to the idea of Bon marrying too: in that story, which is from 2 Samuel, Samuel’s son Amnon
Judith, noting that “kings have done it.” After that, Henry allows rapes his half-sister Tamar. Also of note here is the metal case that
Bon to write to Judith, and Judith sends Bon a metal case with Judith sends to Bon—it’s important to remember the detail that it’s
her picture in it. Bon and Henry and their company then go off originally Judith’s photo in the case, as this will be relevant later on.
to war.

At this point, Quentin and Shreve imagine Bon and Henry Shreve’s confidence in the veracity of his version of the story, in
fighting in the Battle of Shiloh. Shreve insists that Mr. Compson which Henry and not Bon was wounded in battle, is almost
was wrong about one detail of his story—it was Henry who was laughable: nobody who’s told Bon and Henry’s story thus far can
wounded in this battle, not Bon. He imagines a scene where know anything for sure, since they weren’t around to witness it
Henry lies bleeding on the ground, pleading with Bon to just let firsthand. What’s more, as a Northerner, Shreve is especially
him die so that Henry won’t have to find out what Bon plans to removed from the events he pretends to be an authority on.
do about Judith. Bon pleads with Henry to just tell him it’s okay
for him to go to Judith—then, maybe he’ll decide not to do it.

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Quentin and Shreve’s story skips forward in time. Now it’s the Once more, Quentin and Shreve’s story portrays Bon as more
winter of 1864, and the army has retreated across Alabama sympathetic than Mr. Compson’s story—they suggest that Bon
and is on its way into Carolina. Bon, who has still not decided anguished for years about the decision he eventually would have to
what he wants to do about Judith, realizes why he hasn’t been make, should Sutpen refuse to acknowledge Bon as his son. He
able to decide: he’s still holding out hope that Sutpen will didn’t want to draw Judith into an incestuous marriage but sees no
acknowledge him as his son. He would abandon his plans alternative way to impose on Sutpen the hurt and betrayal that
altogether if he were to receive a letter from Sutpen that said, Sutpen has imposed onto him.
“Forgive me: but: You are my oldest son. Protect your sister;
never see either of us again.” But he realizes he’ll never get this
message.

Now it’s 1865, the South has all but lost the war, and Bon has If Henry is accepting of Bon’s choice to marry Judith at this point,
finally made up his mind to marry Judith. He tells Henry, and it’s unclear what happens next that makes Henry prohibit the
Henry is relieved—not about the incest, but that finally a marriage and betray and murder Bon. The one thing that all
decision has been reached and they can move forward. versions of the story agree on is that Henry shoots Bon, yet it
remains unclear what happened to make him betray the dear friend
for whom he earlier repudiated his family.

In March of 1865, Bon and Henry’s troop is still in Carolina Sutpen seals his fate when he clearly recognizes that Bon is his son
when Lee sends some troops down for reinforcement. Bon but refuses to acknowledge him as such. Read as an allegory for the
sees Sutpen then, for the second time in his life. He sees his South, his stubborn refusal to acknowledge Bon mirrors the South’s
own features in Sutpen’s face, and he also sees recognition. Bon refusal to acknowledge its legacy of slavery. It’s not yet clear why
considers forcing Sutpen to acknowledge him but doesn’t. After Sutpen wants to see Henry, but given it’s mere months before Bon’s
this—and after Henry has given his permission for Bon to death (which happens in June of 1865), it’s likely that this critical
marry Judith—Bon writes to Judith to tell her that it’s time for meeting will be where Sutpen says something to Henry that
them to marry. Henry reads the letter and sends it to persuades Henry to break with Bon.
Mississippi. Then one night an orderly comes to Henry and says
that the colonel (Sutpen) wants to see Henry in his tent.

The narrative shifts suddenly to Shreve’s retelling of what The narrative abruptly shifts away from the buildup to Sutpen’s
Quentin and Miss Rosa encountered in the old house the night climactic second encounter with Henry, creating tension in the
Miss Rosa took Quentin there three months prior. He process. The sudden shift to this scene from the recent past with
describes a terrified Clytie trying to stop them from going Clytie, Quentin, and Rosa also serves to remind the reader that
upstairs, and a determined “Aunt Rosa” punching Clytie, who they’re listening to Shreve and Quentin’s speculations—nothing may
fell to the floor. be considered factual.

The action returns to 1865, just after the colonel (Sutpen) has Recall that Henry hasn’t seen his father since their argument in the
summoned Henry to his tent. It’s been four years since Henry library about Bon four years prior. Sutpen’s admission about Bon’s
has seen his father, and at first he doesn’t recognize him. Black ancestry here confirms that (at least in Shreve and Quentin’s
Sutpen tells Henry he’s heard that he was shot down in Shiloh. version of events) Henry hasn’t known this detail about Bon—and
Henry confirms this but doesn’t tell his father that Bon carried that Bon’s mixed-race background is what ultimately turns Henry
him to safety. After a pause, Sutpen tells Henry that he knows against him. Thus, while Henry is apparently accepting of the social
Henry has agreed to let Bon marry Judith. Henry says nothing. taboo of incest, the social taboo of interracial marriage is ultimately
Sutpen tells Henry he can’t let the marriage happen—not where he draws the line.
because of the incest, but because Bon’s mother is part Black.

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At some point, Henry leaves the tent and returns to the tent he Interestingly, the narrative doesn’t describe Henry’s immediate
shares with Bon. Bon notices that Henry is cold and offers him response to Sutpen’s admission about Bon. This adds to the general
his cloak, but Henry refuses it. Eventually they exit the tent, and uncertainty surrounding the nature of the Bon-Henry conflict and
presumably Henry fills Bon in on the conversation he had with reaffirms the novel’s stance that it’s difficult if not impossible to
Sutpen. Bon asks for clarification that it’s the idea of interracial reach objective truths regarding history.
marriage rather than incest that Henry condemns, but Henry
says nothing in response.

Bon is crushed that Sutpen didn’t even send for him. He says Bon’s remark that Sutpen didn’t need to disclose Bon’s race (thereby
that all Sutpen needed to do was acknowledge him as his son. turning Henry against Bon) to stop him—he only needed to
He would’ve stopped pursuing Judith right then and there; acknowledge Bon as his son, and Bon would’ve halted his courtship
Sutpen didn’t need to disclose Bon’s Black ancestry to Henry to of Judith—shows that Sutpen had a choice to acknowledge that he
stop him. Henry, realizing that Bon still intends to go through wronged Bon to retain an image of respectability in the racial
with his plan, cries out in disbelief. But Bon stands firm. He gave hierarchy-governed Old South, yet he chose not to do that. By
Sutpen chance after chance to claim him, and yet Sutpen refusing to do that, he initiated a chain of events that would lead to
refused. the demise of his own design, turning one son against the other and
ultimately depriving himself of a male heir to carry on his legacy.

Bon pushes his pistol toward Henry and orders Henry to shoot The language Bon uses here is ugly and direct, using a racial slur to
him then. Henry refuses, claiming that Bon is his brother. To explicitly call attention to the simple fact that Henry’s commitment
this, Bon replies, “No I’m not. I’m the nigger that’s going to sleep to the racial hierarchy of the pre-war South is what has caused him
with your sister.” Henry then grabs Bon’s pistol as Bon pleads to turn on Bon and prohibit Bon’s marriage to Judith.
with him to shoot him. Henry pleads with Bon not to marry
Judith, but Bon is adamant that Henry will have to stop him.

In Shreve and Quentin’s retelling, it’s possible that Bon and In this story, someone replaced Judith’s photo in the metal case with
Henry rode to Sutpen’s Hundred together, approaching the a photo of Bon’s mistress and child. It’s unclear who did this—it
gate side by side. Judith and Clytie heard the shot ring out could be Bon or Henry, or it could be anyone who got to Bon’s body
when Henry shot Bon. Wash Jones helped them carry the body before Judith. Regardless, it’s possible that whoever swapped the
into the house and then went to fetch Miss Rosa, who walked in photos did so to conceal Henry’s true reason for killing Bon—Bon’s
on Judith crying as she clasped the metal case—containing not race—from Judith. It also could be to inspire anger in Judith to
her picture but the picture of Bon’s mistress and Bon’s child—in prevent her from grieving for Bon. Without proper context, however,
her hand. it’s impossible to know who swapped the photos or what their
reasons were for doing so.

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Shreve, in the present, speculates that Bon was trying to Shreve assumes it was Bon himself who swapped the photos, and
protect Judith when he removed Judith’s picture from the that he did so to inspire in Judith similar feelings of disgust and
metal case Judith had given him and replaced it with a picture disapproval as his race inspired in Henry. Judith, like Henry, is a
of Bon’s mistress. For if Henry meant what he said—that it was product of the culture of the pre-war South and thus (Bon perhaps
Bon’s being part Black that was what made him disapprove of assumes) upholds the same beliefs about racial hierarchy and
Bon’s marriage to Judith—then it would “be the only way I will interracial marriage as her brother. In a twisted and tragic way, Bon
have to say to her, I was no good; do not grieve for me.’” assumes the worst about Judith (that she would reject him based on
Quentin replies only, “Yes,” and then Shreve says it’s time for his race) while going out of his way to shield her against the pain of
them to “get out of this refrigerator and go to bed.” grieving him. Thus, Bon ends Shreve’s story a tragic hero of sorts,
further indicating how Shreve’s removal from the story’s characters
and setting causes him to romanticize it.

CHAPTER 9
Quentin and Shreve return to their dorm room, where it seems Once more, the coldness of Shreve and Quentin’s dorm room
even colder than it was when they left it. In the room, “the contrasts sharply with the stifling warmth of the South,
darkness seem[s] to breathe,” and Quentin’s “blood surge[s] underscoring how far removed they are from the story they’ve been
and r[uns] warmer, warmer.” Still discussing the story of Henry immersed in over the past few chapters. The cold also symbolizes
and Bon, Quentin remarks that Henry and Bon were in the how distant Quentin, as a Southerner, feels from Shreve, a
University of Mississippi’s tenth graduating class. Shreve Northerner who cannot possibly begin to understand the story as
jokingly replies that he didn’t know 10 people total attended intimately as Quentin; Shreve’s glib joke about Southerners being
college in Mississippi. Quentin says nothing but begins to uneducated increases this distance.
shiver. Shreve is simultaneously amused and concerned that
Quentin is so cold. He offers Quentin his overcoat, but Quentin
declines.

Shreve says he can’t imagine coming from the South and having Shreve somewhat redeems himself for the many jokes he’s made
to endure such cold weather. He insists to Quentin that he’s thus far, implying that it’s only his unfamiliarity with the story’s
not trying to be funny—he just wants to understand, but he isn’t characters, setting, and subject matter that causes him to make so
sure that he can. Shreve explains, “it’s something my people many jokes—it’s as though he is using humor to try to escape the
haven’t got. Or if we have got it, it all happened long ago across discomfort he feels at his unfamiliarity. He acknowledges the
the water and so now there ain’t anything to look at every day trauma and tragedy that Quentin has inherited as a consequence of
to remind us of it.” Quentin agrees, stating, “You would have to the South’s complex, weighty history. Quentin, meanwhile,
be born there.” Inwardly, though, he questions whether he questions whether this trauma and tragedy can ever be fully
really understands it. understood.

Shreve returns the focus to “Aunt Rosa,” brushing off Quentin’s Despite Shreve’s reverent acknowledgement of Quentin’s inherited
correction (“Miss Rosa”). Shreve says that Quentin can’t even history, he still fails to engage with that history respectfully, referring
know all that much about her. He notes that even after waiting to Miss Rosa as “Aunt Rosa” even after Quentin has corrected him
for nearly half a century, “she couldn’t reconcile herself to countless times. The “him” in Shreve’s cryptic remark about Miss
letting him lie dead in peace.” Nor could she finish the job Rosa’s inability to “let[] him lie dead in peace” seems to allude to
herself—she had to bring Quentin with her to do it. Sutpen and to the mysterious third person who still lives on Sutpen’s
estate.

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Though Quentin is currently surrounded by chilly, New Quentin’s Southern roots and the transformative experience of
England air, he can still feel the dust of that hot Mississippi telling his story to Shreve makes the region come alive for
night in September. He can smell Miss Rosa riding in the buggy him—enough that he can feel the sensation of its hot, muggy air
beside him. The narrative shifts to that night as Quentin’s despite the icy cold of his Cambridge dorm room.
memories take over.

As Quentin and Miss Rosa approach Sutpen’s Hundred, Miss Miss Rosa seems to imply that Sutpen’s design is still alive so long as
Rosa notes that they’re “on the Domain. On his land, his and his descendants—meaning Clytie and Jim Bond—continue living
Ellen’s and Ellen’s descendants.” She’s adamant it’s still theirs, there. But given that Rosa, like Sutpen, is of the pre-war South, it’s
though “they” have taken it from them. When they reach the doubtful she’d consider Clytie and Jim Bond, who both have Black
house, Miss Rosa doesn’t let Quentin cross through the gate. ancestry, rightful heirs of Sutpen’s estate. Thus, her remarks here
Quentin wonders what she’s afraid of. He wants to just return hint that Henry Sutpen is the estate’s mysterious third inhabitant.
to town, but he doesn’t say this to Miss Rosa. Instead, he looks Her initial refusal to let Quentin pass through the gate symbolizes
up at the gate—the same one Bon and Henry rode to that day. her struggle to confront the past, an act that would free her of the
scorn that has tormented but also invigorated her for the past 43
years.

“She’s going to try to stop me,” Miss Rosa says. Quentin asks The “she” Rosa is referring to here is Clytie—recall Quentin’s earlier
what “she” has hidden in the house, but Miss Rosa ignores him. childhood memory of running from Sutpen’s Hundred with some
She gets out of the buggy and starts to walk the half mile to the other boys after finding Clytie and Jim Bond there. Miss Rosa’s
house, ignoring Quentin’s protests that they ride there instead. telling Quentin the full story of her past and of the Old South seems
She takes Quentin’s arm, and he leads her to the house. Then to be what’s inspired her sudden urge to return to Sutpen’s Hundred
she hands him a hatchet wrapped in cloth and says they’ll need and confront the demons she’s been stewing over for the past 43
it for protection—or to get inside the house, anyway. Rosa years.
suspects that “she” is watching them.

When Quentin and Miss Rosa arrive at the door to the old The act of breaking through the door holds great symbolic value in
house, Miss Rosa urges Quentin to break it open with the the novel—it reflects Miss Rosa’s eagerness to put the ghosts of her
hatchet. When Quentin protests, Miss Rosa tries to take the past to rest—and Quentin’s hesitancy to do so. Quentin’s hesitancy
hatchet from him. Quentin pauses a moment before moving to seems to stem from a fear of the unknown. Symbolically, breaking
a window and breaking it. Reluctantly, he climbs inside the through the door gives him more direct access to a troubled, painful
house. As he approaches the door to open it for Miss Rosa, he past he’s thus far only had secondhand exposure to through the
hears someone scrape a match behind him. Terrified, he turns stories of his elders.
around and sees an old woman with “coffee-colored” skin
(Clytie).

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Quentin’s memory continues. The woman (Clytie) doesn’t say a This scene mirrors an earlier scene where Clytie tries to prevent
single word to him. Instead, she calmly walks to the door and Miss Rosa from walking upstairs and confronting Henry about Bon’s
opens it for Miss Rosa, as though she’s been expecting her all murder. On the one hand, the parallels between these two scenes
these years. Miss Rosa enters the house and starts to make her could symbolize the completion of Rosa’s journey toward
way upstairs. When Clytie urges her not to, Miss Rosa strikes confronting the past. On the other hand, it could suggest that the
Clytie, and Clytie falls to the ground. Quentin helps her up. She earlier scene didn’t happen that way at all—that Quentin is merely
asks who he is, and he tells her. Clytie tells Quentin she knew projecting his own experiences (witnessing Miss Rosa and Clytie’s
his grandfather. Then she urges Quentin to stop Miss Rosa altercation) onto the past to create a story that relates to his own
from going upstairs. But Miss Rosa continues ahead of him. life.

Quentin hears Miss Rosa fall, then he hears a man’s voice. The Despite Sutpen’s efforts to keep the so-called “mistakes” of his past
man, who is Black, identifies himself as Jim Bond. (the mistake of fathering sons of mixed-race ancestry) from
undermining his design, Jim Bond’s presence at Sutpen’s Hundred
shows that Sutpen has failed at this task. Sutpen’s male heir has
outlived Sutpen, and the squalor in which Jim Bond now resides
serves to underscore that failure.

The narrative abruptly skips forward. Quentin has stopped the The abrupt skip forward here indicates Quentin’s struggle to come
buggy at Miss Rosa’s gate after returning from Sutpen’s to terms with whatever he and Miss Rosa encountered upstairs.
Hundred. This time, Miss Rosa lets Quentin help her down This calls into question the reliability of Quentin’s account of events
from the buggy, then tells Quentin goodnight and heads inside to Shreve as a whole—has Quentin been omitting critical details all
her house. along?

As Quentin walks back to the buggy, he’s “breathing deep” and The detail of Quentin’s “breathing deep” here emphasizes Quentin’s
thinking to himself, “Jesus. Jesus. Jesus.” It’s dark by the time he distress. It also calls back to places throughout the previous couple
arrives home, and he finally gives in to his fear and runs the chapters where the narration has called attention to deep breathing
distance from the buggy to his front door. He runs upstairs to or to breathing in general. Deep breathing seems to symbolize
his room and hurriedly removes his clothes, thinking he’d like to Quentin’s internalization of whatever troubling scene he’s just
bathe. He can’t tell if he’s asleep or awake. witnessed at Sutpen’s Hundred.

With no clear transition, the narrative shifts back to Quentin This shift back to Miss Rosa and Quentin’s visit to Sutpen’s Hundred
and Rosa’s trip to Sutpen’s Hundred earlier that night. Quentin signals Quentin’s attempt to make sense of whatever he saw there.
enters an empty room and sees a man with a “wasted yellow This passage confirms that Henry Sutpen is indeed the mysterious
face” and half-closed eyes lying on a bed made up with yellow third person who’s been living at the old, rotting estate. His action to
sheets. The man confirms that he’s Henry Sutpen and that he’s return there to die is a symbolic reclaiming of his birthright—an
been there for four years. He explains that he’s come home to effort to reverse the damage Bon did when he reentered the Sutpen
die. family’s life and tried to undermine Sutpen’s design.

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The action returns to the present, to Shreve and Quentin’s cold The narrative jumps back and forth in time abundantly and
dorm room in Cambridge. Shreve expresses disbelief that after unpredictably in this final chapter, creating a chaotic and tense
encountering Henry after all these years, Miss Rosa waited atmosphere as the story resolves (at least as well as it can) its many
another three months to come back and finish the task she set unanswered questions. Quentin’s cryptic repetition of the word
out to do. He asks Quentin why she did this, but Quentin offers “nevermore” here suggests that Miss Rosa’s journey back to Sutpen’s
nothing in response. Instead, he stares at the window and Hundred hasn’t laid to rest all the ghosts she hoped it would. To the
thinks to himself, “Nevermore of peace. Nevermore of peace. contrary, the ghosts of the pre-war South—the traumatic legacy of
Nevermore. Nevermore. Nevermore.” Shreve interrupts slavery and the region’s continued failure to atone for that
Quentin’s thoughts, asking if perhaps it’s because Miss Rosa legacy—remain horrifyingly alive and full of scorn.
didn’t want to cut herself off from the hate she’s been feeling all
these years. Quentin doesn’t respond.

Shreve and Quentin relate the rest of the story. Three months Clytie takes Miss Rosa’s grudge against Sutpen seriously—she
after Miss Rosa and Quentin discover Henry in the old house, believes that, even 43 years later, Rosa is determined to bring the
Rosa calls an ambulance to transport Henry to town. Perhaps last remaining (legitimate) Sutpen heir to his death. The irony of this
(Shreve speculates), Clytie has been watching for this all along. is that Clytie is misinterpreting Rosa’s uncharacteristic gesture of
Maybe she thinks the ambulance is in fact the wagon that has mercy. Still, Clytie’s misunderstanding compels her to take action,
finally come to bring Henry into town to hang him for shooting setting the house on fire and bring Sutpen’s dynasty to an end by her
Charles Bon. In the present, Quentin imagines Miss Rosa own hand, killing herself and Henry. There is closure in the fact that
sitting between the ambulance driver and another man, maybe it’s Clytie who performs this action: as a former enslaved woman,
the sheriff’s deputy. He imagines “it may have been she who she’s bringing Sutpen’s dynasty and the pre-war, racist culture it was
cried first, ‘It’s on fire!’” as the flames surrounding the old born of to its end, symbolizing that such a culture has no place in
house came into view. the post-war world.

In Quentin and Shreve’s telling of the story, the ambulance The description of Jim Bond, Sutpen’s great-grandson, as “the last of
can’t get to the house in time—and Clytie probably knew this his race,” meaning the last surviving Sutpen, echoes Sutpen’s
before she started the fire. The three occupants of the ambition to exist outside the bounds of the broader human
ambulance rush out, with Miss Rosa screaming at them to look story—including outside the bounds of a Black vs. white social
up at the second-story window, where the figure of a man hierarchy. Bond’s speechless howling mirrors Miss Rosa’s earlier
stares down at them. (In the present, Quentin imagines that description of Sutpen as “not articulated in this world.” The link to
Clytie might have appeared in the window for a moment, a look Sutpen suggests that Bond will be doomed to misery, just as his
of “triumph” on her face.) And then Jim Bond, “the scion, the ancestors were.
last of his race,” cries out from somewhere outside the house
when he, too, realizes what is happening. But he flees before
anyone can tell where his “howling” is coming from.

Shreve picks up the story. Miss Rosa returns to town and goes Miss Rosa dies because with Henry and Clytie gone, she has no
to bed that night knowing “it was all finished now” and that the Sutpens left to hate—it was her hatred that sustained her for the
only thing that remains is “that idiot boy to lurk around those past four decades. That she passes off Jim Bond as “that idiot boy”
ashes and those four gutted chimneys and howl,” and then Miss perhaps calls into question whether Miss Rosa is aware that Bond is
Rosa, too, dies. Sutpen’s great-grandson.

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Quentin doesn’t say anything as Shreve speaks; he simply Quentin’s remark about being older than his years reinforces the
stares at the window. Then he reflects, “I am older at twenty great burden he carries as a result of his inherited history—growing
than a lot of people who have died,” and then he finally picks up up surrounded by all the ghosts, grudges, and regrets of people so
the letter Mr. Compson sent him and finishes reading it. consumed by the past has prematurely aged him.

In his letter, Mr. Compson expresses his hope that in death, Mr. Compson’s letter conveys his scorn toward Miss Rosa—he hopes
Miss Rosa hasn’t escaped “the objects of the outrage and of the that dying will sustain rather than end her hatred. He also expresses
commiseration” but will instead join them, so that they “are no the pointlessness of her maintaining a grudge against people who’d
longer ghosts but are actual people to be actual recipients of long since died. Allegorically, this reflects the South’s stubbornness
the hatred and the pity.” It was a beautiful but cold day when in clinging to the hierarchy of its pre-war era.
they buried Miss Rosa, and they had to use picks to break
through the ground.

Shreve laments how each Sutpen met their end: Charles Bon Shreve’s observation about how each Sutpen met their end
and his mother killed “old Tom,” Charles Bon and Bon’s mistress reinforces the links between the various characters, who are all
killed Judith, and Charles Bon and Clytie killed Henry. Shreve connected within the broader human story and who undid one
notes that just one Sutpen remains now: Jim Bond. He asks if another for human reasons: hatred, betrayal, revenge. Despite
Quentin still hears Jim Bond wailing at night, and Quentin says Sutpen’s efforts to exist outside of history and society, ultimately, he
he does. fails at this pursuit. Bond’s wailing reinforces the persistent suffering
that Sutpen has wrought on the people whose lives he’s touched. It
also illustrates the lingering burden and pain of inherited history,
which continues to haunt Southerners.

Shreve poses one final question to Quentin: “Why do you hate Shreve seems to believe that Quentin’s inability to romanticize and
the South?” Quentin insists he doesn’t. Then to himself, as he make entertainment of the story of Sutpen’s dynasty reflects his
“pant[s] in the cold air,” he thinks, “I don’t. I don’t! I don’t hate it! I hatred of the South. Though Quentin fiercely denies the accusation,
don’t hate it!” it seems that there’s truth to it, though perhaps not in the way
Shreve means. Perhaps the region’s lingering demons make it
impossible to be of that place without hating it.

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