Easter and Irony: the Tragic End of The Sound and the Fury

Although I initially believed the final chapter of The Sound and the Fury, taking place on Easter Sunday, represented hope and resurrection, after reading it again, I have concluded that the ending is an ironic one, designed to juxtapose the revival associated with Easter with the final demise of the family. What little stability the Compson family had prior to the final chapter is destroyed by Quentin's escape and Jason's pursuit. Although the family is well beyond saving by this point, these departures place the final nail in the coffin of the once-proud Compson family. There are moments in the final chapter of the story that do convey the happiness and serenity traditionally associated with Easter. For example, on page 317 there is a powerful scene in which Dilsey calms Benjy by maternally stroking his head. However, such scenes are overshadowed by questions about the future of the remaining family members. Dilsey, although strong and protective throughout the story, is portrayed as elderly and frail towards the end of the story. It can be inferred that she is close to death, leaving no one to take care of Benjy. The final scene of the novel features Luster and Benjy's carriage taking a different path than they had ever taken before. This may symbolize the challenging and unfamiliar path in front of the remnants of the family. The final scene does represent an ending, but not one with realistic hope for better days ahead. The last section of the novel shows the final demise of a family, the Compsons, that has been broken for a very long time. (264)