P. 20, Scene 18 (April 1910) The cows came jumping . . .
T. P. and Benjy are drunk at Caddy's wedding, and T. P., who has never seen or tasted champagne, thinks that they are drinking "sassprilluh" (sarsaparilla). This, of course, is absurd because even though it is not spelled out, an aristocratic family such as the Compsons would never serve such a cheap beverage that has no alcoholic content. T. P. and Benjy are obviously drunk in scenes 18, 37, and 39, and since "sassprilluh" has the same color as champagne, the mistake is comic and fits in with the comic actions that Benjy describes.
This scene obviously takes place at the end of Caddy's wedding, which we discover in Quentin's section to have occurred on April 25, 1910. Some critics do not like to assign the first line of this section, but the imagery of the section is that of distorted, bizarre images as seen through the drunken eyes of Benjy. Thus, since the cows are seen performing erratic actions, the first line of the section blends with the imagery of the entire section. Furthermore, the entire scene is evoked because in the preceding scene, Benjy observed Roskus milking and is reminded of another scene in the barn involving the cows. The manner in which Faulkner presents the images through the mind of a drunken Benjy is a masterful, impressionistic rendition. As an author, Faulkner never intrudes and tells us that Benjy is drunk—he allows the bizarre imagery to speak for itself.
Note, too, that this is the first view of the wedding and includes an episode that takes place at the very end of the day. There will be several other scenes (four, to be exact) from the wedding day episode because it is the last time that Benjy will ever be near Caddy, except for one short, secret visit she made after the birth of her daughter.
Quentin's violence in this scene should later remind the reader of his troubled sensitivity, his excessive concern over the fate of Caddy, and his opposition to the wedding. At present, however, there is no way for the reader, on first reading, to account for Quentin's violence.
P. 22, Scene 19 (1898) At the top of the hill . . .
Benjy's memory of being carried up the hill by Versh in Scene 18 reminds him of the time when Versh carried him up the hill after the children played in the branch. In this scene, note that Benjy is still being called Maury, which again would tend to confuse the reader on the first reading.
Jason's persistent habit of keeping his hands in his pockets causes him to fall down. This characteristic, as noted in Scene 17, becomes more dominant as the novel progresses. Likewise, his telling on Caddy and Quentin suggests a certain offensive aspect of his nature.
Benjy's ability to sense death is depicted; he instinctively knows that someone is going to die. At every death in the novel, Benjy has certain knowledge of it and moans.
Dilsey's character is further developed in this section. She will ultimately emerge as the one, strong, admirable character in the novel. She is the only person in the Compson household who can accomplish things without creating more disorder than originally prevailed. Hers is a great faith and reliance upon the goodness of the "Lawd" and a quiet love and acceptance of all the Lord's creatures. Her love extends even to Benjy, as she is able to sense what is wrong with him and to minister to his needs without upsetting him. This ability is in direct contrast to Mrs. Compson, who causes Benjy to start moaning and bellowing every time she comes near him.
P. 28, Scene 20 (1912) There was a fire in it . . .
In dating this scene as occurring on the day that Mr. Compson died, in 1912 (Stuart and Backus date this scene as Quentin's death in 1910), we have the small clue that T. P. is squatting before the fire. In June (the month of Quentin's death), there would be no fire. However, in April in Mississippi (the month of Mr. Compson's death), there is often a cold spell and a fire is needed in the early morning. In fact, Faulkner has used this idea of Easter being cold in all four sections of the novel, giving us the key for dating this section.
This scene and the next several scenes are the most complicated and confused in the entire section. They all deal with the subject of death evoked in Benjy's mind by the remembrance of Damuddy's death in 1898. Thus we have Quentin's, Mr. Compson's, and Roskus' deaths juxtaposed with one another, with little indication of which death is the subject of the scene. These scenes are also illustrations of instances when Faulkner did not use italics to indicate a change in the scene. His failure to do so implies something about the abstract nature of death in Benjy's mind. The concept of death involves comprehension of abstract principles, and Benjy is incapable of such reasoning. Therefore, Faulkner juxtaposes scenes of death one upon another without indicating which death is being remembered in order to replicate the impossibility of Benjy's distinguishing between one death and another.
P. 28, Scene 21 (1910) Dilsey was singing in the kitchen . . .
Some critics do not indicate this scene as a separate entity; however, a close examination of the text shows that in Scene 20 (above), Dilsey, T. P., and Benjy are in Dilsey's cabin, where Dilsey is singing; this scene, in turn, evokes Scene 21, in the Compson kitchen, where Dilsey is singing. Also, in Scene 20, T. P. and Benjy go to the branch; in Scene 21, they go down to the barn. In southern idiom, one goes down to the barn only from the big house. The scene must be set in 1910 because Roskus has rheumatism in only one hand. By 1912, he is incapacitated in both hands. Although there is no typographical indication of a change in time, we do have two different scenes juxtaposed.
P. 29, Scene 22 (1910) Taint no luck . . .
This scene is easy to date since Benjy's age is referred to as fifteen. Thus, chronologically, this scene occurs before Scene 21; that is, Scene 22 takes place the night of Quentin's death and Scene 21 occurs the following morning. Scene 22 is evoked by Benjy's remembering Roskus' complaint about no luck on the Compson place, an indication that the blacks believe the Compson family to be a doomed family.
The two signs refer to the birth of a mentally incapacitated child and to Quentin's suicide. Throughout these scenes, we should be aware of how Benjy can sense death in the family even though, as in this case, Quentin's suicide occurred at Harvard.
P. 30, Scene 23 (1912) Take him and Quentin . . .
This scene is linked to the day of Mr. Compson's death because of the presence of Luster and little Miss Quentin; in addition, note that Roskus is now physically incapacitated.
P. 30, Scene 24 (1912) Dilsey was singing.
Again, there is no indication of a change in time, but this short scene begins in the Compson house and ends with T. P.'s taking Benjy to Dilsey's cabin to play with Quentin and Luster. It is related to Scenes 20 and 23 in chronological time and related to Scene 21 thematically by Dilsey's singing; it is related to all these scenes by the unifying subject of death.
P. 31, Scene 25 (1912) "That's three, thank the Lawd."
Again, without warning, Benjy's mind jumps to another scene: in Scene 24, Dilsey was in the big house; now, she is in her own house, undressing Benjy. The scene is set in 1912 since Roskus refers to Mr. Compson's death as fulfilling the prophecy he made two years ago. This scene is also the first time that we hear that Caddy's name is not to be spoken. It is later that we find out that Mrs. Compson has ordered that Caddy's name is never to be mentioned since Caddy has disgraced the family. Benjy's intuitive qualities are further emphasized as he apparently is able to intuit not only death, but also impending death.
P. 32, Scene 26 (1912) You cant go yet . . .
Because of the presence of little Miss Quentin, this scene occurs when Mr. Compson's body is being carried away in the hearse—either on the day of his death or a few days later, at the funeral.
