The Sound and the Fury is a dramatic presentation of the decline of the once-aristocratic Compson family of Yoknapatawpha County, in northern Mississippi. Divided into four sections, the history is narrated by three Compson brothers — Benjamin, Quentin, and Jason — followed by a section by an omniscient narrator.
Section One is seen through the sensitivities of Benjamin (Benjy), Compson, on April 7, 1928, when Benjy is thirty-three years old. The youngest of the Compson children, Benjy was christened Maury in honor of his uncle, but by the time he reached the age of five, it became apparent that he was retarded. Out of the family's respect for his namesake, he was thereafter called Benjy.
The eight scenes that comprise the Benjy section jump about in time, from one of his earliest memories (when, in fact, he was still called Maury) and extend to the present (1928). Because of his impaired mental facilities, Benjy is literal, simplistic, and sensual. This section of the novel centers on his impressions of his sister Candace (Caddy), the only one in his family who was truly solicitous of him, and arguably one of the most significant characters in the novel.
Benjy's earliest depicted memory, from 1898 (when he was three years old), establishes the essence of Caddy's character. This early appearance of Caddy introduces two major themes — Caddy's mud-soiled underwear, and water — that will replay through the novel.
