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.
