April 7, 1928-Benji Chapter

• What role does Benjy play in the Compson family? What does his unique perspective show us about the Compsons?

Benjy isn't like the other characters in the Sound and Fury, Benjy for example has the trait that he is able to sense the on coming of future events, and especially in particular he is able to sense the down fall of the his own family. In large Benjy is able to both sense and predict a big event in the book which is Quentin's suicide. Benjy also plays a critical part in being able to identify visually and hearing that helps identify and look at things differently as well as human emotion that the Compson family cannot identity as easily as him. For example in his actions he is able to respond to this knowledge and information by crying which in comparison to his family is different from them. 

The family plays a big part when being compared to Benji the family places the burden of blaming  Benjy for them falling short and saying to him that he is the cause and root for all their troubles. One case in particular is when Versh, Mother, and Uncle Maury discusses whether or not he should go out. The Mother is always concerned with her self and says the Benji is a "judgement" on her, my option on that is very harsh to the mother that's her child and that child is part of her own identity. My problem is especially with a child being told that they are "judgement" on her that's flat out an embarrassment on her not her child. The fact that she is telling a young kid who mind is easily affected by those kinds of words and coming from his mother is hurting and ugly on her character not Benji's. How can you call someone with disability so many names, especially if they haven't done anything to you personally? He understands their frustrations, but it still doesn't justfy the way he is treated. Crying for Benjy is his way of processing everything that he knows and is a human reaction in responding to these events.  
  

• What might Benjy's need for consistency, and his extremely strong nostalgia for the past say about the concept of family? About the South as a place?

Benjy needs the help of his family and holds onto past memories because he can't rely on himself - Bejy needs the help of his family to help him. When his family is arguing, Benjy feels he is limited because he can't express to produce his own opinion on what is happening. He uses his memories of his childhood to comfort him in a reflective time in his like where life for everyone was carefree and was not as stressful for the Compson family. 

Benjy has something that other characters don't relate to or share which is his disability that limits him, calling Benjy names his mother "poor baby" and Luster insisting that Benjy is moaning to complain, their behaviors are no excuse but can be seen as acceptable behavior during his childhood with him and his siblings being so young. Now that he is older, the care he requires only puts more stress on the family, which Benjy is reminded of. From the beginning its placed to Benjy that's he more of a burden than a part of the family who casts him out and away from them. 

Benjy has the trait that he's able to feel empathy and compassion to everyone and everything around him, he can sense people's emotions. His flashbacks of his memory's are his way in dealing with the hostile environment that other people are causing around him. The more his family fights and goes into turmoil, the more Benjy retreats into the security of his own mind.

• Does Benjy fulfill a symbolic role in the novel?

Yes, Benjy plays and fulfills a symbolic role in that the chapter is written in a easy in a child's point of view showing young eyes and children are aware and can make sense of what's going around them and their environment. Benjy plays the role by the Compson family giving Benjy the role of being the punching bag for all the family's problems, all their failures, and giving him the reason why they are failing.  

The family limits Benjjy to a person with "his thick mouth hung open, drooling a little", the rest of the Compson family portrays him as an solid incompetent object, a symbol that is living that reminds the family of all that is wrong in their lives.