Time 's Running Out : The Compson Downfall

The novel “The Story of Tom Brennan” by J.C Burke demonstrates how a tragedy such as Daniel’s car accident can cause ripple effects. A tragedy is an unexpected event the leads to suffering and unhappiness, whereas a ripple effect means how one thing can lead to another. The novel shows how this accident affected the town of Mumbilli, the Brennan family and more specifically Daniel Brennan and Tom Brennan. This essay will explore how this tragedy affected Tom Brennan, Daniel Brennan and the rest of the Brennan family.

When a young author from New York City decides to take a trip to the southern city of Savannah, he finds himself falling in love with the town and ends up renting an apartment. He encounters many different characters, including Danny Hansford and Jim Williams, that gives the reader a good look into the aura of Savannah. The main conflict in the book occurs when a murder happens in an old mansion located in the town. The book follows the progression of the trial and the outcome following the court’s decision.

In the novel “Voices in Time”, the author Hugh Mclennan primarily focuses on the ways in which two characters, Timothy Wellfleet and Conrad Dehmel, deal with their loved ones and extremely perplexing situations. Furthermore Mclennan, explores how both characters contain a number of similar traits yet are abundantly different. This is demonstrated through Timothy and Conrad’s congruous childhoods as well as their contrasting ways of handling important relationships in times of apprehensiveness.

When examining John Steinbeck’s, Grapes of Wrath’” he details the story of the Joads an Oklahoma family on their way to California in the midsts of the Dust Bowl. As he discusses their journey towards the american dream he inserts several intercalary chapters that break up the discussion of the Joads and shifts the focus towards the things that symbolizes them. In the novel there are several intercalary chapters that are used to depict the lies and deceit that occurs to the Joads right under their nose.

Compared to many writers, Faulkner’s sentence structure is long and drawn out, making the story appear more complicated. The novel’s themes and storylines are relatively simple, but the intricate writing makes the narrative difficult to understand. A wise, old

Since Caddy eventually grew up and left home, assumedly there is no longer a female figure to care for the “children.” Moreover, in the South, the death of a Mother would result in the finding of a new woman to be in charge of the children and the home (Haynes 122). The loss of Caddy’s innocence marked her “death” and therefore started the end of the Compson legacy. Without Caddy, Benjy’s ability to function diminished causing him to “sexually assault” a girl walking by him home whom he thought was his sister (Faulkner 35). Caddy’s push for the future, complete with having her daughter, is very progressive and diminishes the notion of a stable South. Caddy is a representation of right of moving forward, however, now that she left she cannot come back. Her mother and brother Jason banish her from the family (Faulkner 131). Slowly the Southern ways are dying, and as more and more individuals leave, are forbidden from re-entering. Upon leaving, many do not want to return causing a shrinking population. Faulkner used the Compson family as a metaphor for what he perceived to be currently happening in the South.

In the essay Our Time by John Edgar Wideman, Wideman is speaking on how he and his brother’s life differ even though they grew up together. The author utilizes many distinctive literary techniques such as personification, breaking the narrative, point of view, and a couple examples of diction.

As Paul is notifying everyone that gas is being let out, he hears, “A bell sound[...] between the explosions, gongs, and metal clappers warning everyone--Gas--Gas--Gaas”(32). The sound of the bell informs Paul and other militia men that violence is on its way. It foreshadows the wickedness that is coming, while representing the disorder that is taking place. Remarque chooses to resemble the definition of sound with explosions, gongs, and metal clappers to aid in creating the immoral, villainous meaning of sounds within this novel. While Paul is forced to hear the sounds of death and tragedy, the beautiful noises within Nigeria begin to chime and bring the community together.

In William Faulkner’s novel The Unvanquished, Bayard, the narrator, relives his teenage years of growing up in the south during the civil war. Bayard begins narrating from the age of l.twelve until he is about twenty-four and during that time, he goes through life changing events that mold and shape him into the man he becomes at the end of the novel. From a young age, Bayard admired, respected, and idolized his father. Due to the war, Colonel Sartoris was not around a lot during Bayard’s prime, so Bayard developed an image of his father based on the stories people told him. When Colonel Sartoris came home for the first time, Bayard did not have an emotional meeting with his father; however, Bayard enjoyed listening to the many stories his father had to tell about his time in battle.

William Faulkner’s use of a setting in a short story, such as “Barn Burning”, effected the entire outcome of the story from start to finish. In “Barn Burning”, a young boy must face his father and face the reality of a harsh world. He must also discover for himself that his father is wrong and learn to grow up the right way in a racial environment. Faulkner’s setting is one of the most important literary elements that help the audience understand the story.

Benjy constantly thinks of his sister Caddie who has long since left the family home but because he has no concept of time, he has no idea that she has been gone for many years. The third section is narrated by the greedy and neurotic brother, Jason. To Jason time is all about the present and he grabs every second as it goes by much as he does with the money that his sister Caddie sends to him in order to provide for her daughter who is under his care. The fourth and final section in the book, unlike all the others, is not told by one of the children but rather by an unspecified narrator. In this section time is shown as much closer to what ordinary people perceive it to be.

For instance, he remembers clearly what happened now that “summer has long since fled and time has had its way." Brother expresses how summer is taken away from him too soon. Even so, this particular event sticks vividly in his mind. This hints that Brother is feeling responsible for Doodle’s death, as he looks back and replays it in his mind, thinking how this fatal outcome could have been prevented. Not only is Brother upset with himself, but also at time because it went by too fast, seeming like this was done to him on purpose. These emotions felt by the narrator shows how guilty he feels. Likewise, the use of flashback is shown when Brother looks out the kitchen window thinking of Doodle as “the grindstone begins to turn, and time with all its changes is ground away-.” A relationship can be detected between the grindstone and Doodle. Right outside the kitchen window was where the bleeding tree once stood, and the grindstone now stands. The bleeding tree is also where the scarlet ibis dies, and through symbolism, it is shown that the scarlet ibis represents Doodle. Additionally, Hurst describes that instead of grinding away Brother’s past, the grindstone reminds him of his memories with Doodle. For instance, “time with all its changes” refers to Doodle dying. This is a heartbreaking event, causing a feeling of guilt in Brother. Using flashback, Hurst has clearly conveyed the guilt Brother feels when Doodle

Throughout the piece, Faulkner works to show the conflict that exists between the future and the past and the tension that is felt by those involved. Rather than evidently telling us, Faulkner presents this idea more broadly by including several important symbols for us to recognize and understand as the story develops.

Gradually, Ben overall becomes sensitive to the environment. The sadness has overwhelmed him and left him a primitive form. He becomes impaired in the way that he relies on a caretaker and is unable to recapture the memories of himself after he’s gone. Once Ben becomes missing, people don’t search for him but instead call to ask where he has been. After about a week everyone in his life ceases to call or look. Annie is the only one to evoke the memories of Ben, the disabled man who became primitive

Malmar McKnight’s frightening story, “The Storm”, weaves a violent storm and murder together to heighten the horrific fears that engulf Janet Willsom. “The Storm” is a combination of Mother Nature, Janet’s emotions, and her heartbreaking dilemmas. The eerie mood is revealed throughout the story. Figurative language helps the reader bring the story to life in his/ her mind. The author’s use of irony is devolved through Janet’s changed perception of the storm.