P. 51, Scene 56 (May 1910) You can't do no good . . .
P. 51, Scene 57 (another time in May 1910) I could hear them . . .
P. 52, Scene 58 (May 1910: nighttime) How did he get out, . . .
P. 52, Scene 59 (May 1910: continuance of Scene 57) It was open when I . . .
Some critics combine Scenes 56 and 57 into one scene, but a close reading suggests that they are separate scenes since it is raining in Scene 56 and apparently it is not raining in Scene 57.
These four scenes are connected with the gate and certain events concerning the gate. Benjy's desire to go to the gate is prompted by the fact that he always stood there and waited for Caddy to come home from school (see Scenes 3 and 5). Despite the fact that Caddy no longer lives at home, Benjy keeps going to the gate hoping that she will come back to him. When several little girls pass by, Benjy is further reminded of Caddy and tries to say something to the girls. Since he can't talk, his attempts only frighten the girls. Consequently, on one occasion, he finds that the gate is open and he chases the girls, trying to tell them how much he misses Caddy. He thinks that he is falling down the hill, but actually the father of one of the girls is close by and hits Benjy over the head with a huge stick. The ultimate result of Jason and Mr. Compson's talk in Scene 58, which occurs chronologically sometime after Scene 59, is the decision to have Benjy castrated. They apparently thought that Benjy might have had some sexual urges that caused him to chase the little girls. In actuality, however, Benjy was only wanting to tell them how much he misses his sister, Caddy.
