Song of Solomon Ch. 5 QUIZ

In the fifth chapter of Song of Solomon, the characterizations of Ruth and Pilate provides insight to the suffering of women by showing how they function and survive in society without a man to depend on. Another interesting aspect in the story is the irony their struggle creates.

The passage in chapter five, with Pilate arriving with her daughter and her grandaughter at her mother's house provides insight to the suffering of women because it shows how powerless women are without a man to be dependant on. If there isn't a man leading them, they don't know what else to do besides return home. In that time period, women had no choice but to rely on the man of the house. It simply wasn't the "traditional" or "proper" for a lady to get out in the world and survive on her own. The passage demonstrated women's powerlessness in society.

In order for the Ruth to live happily in her upper-class lifestyle and be accepted by others, she must sacrafice. Ruth suffers under Macon Jr.'s abuse for years and never stands up for herself so she can draw money from him and maintain her lifestyle. On the other hand, Pilate is somewhat a different type of woman compared to Ruth. She doesn't look for anyone's approval, she has confidence, and doesn't define herself according to what a man thinks. Morrison elevates Pilate's status in the book to an admirable role model; however, the speaker reminds us that independent and self-assured women are not traditional ladies, and can be mistreated because of it. As a result, Pilate pays the price of alienation for her freedom.

The Sound, the Fury, & Time

Throughout the novel, "time" doesn't flow naturally like most stories. Instead it is mixed up sharing the past, present, and future, sometimes all in one page. Faulkner presents time in The Sound and the Fury in various different ways. Each chapter is set up for certain characters, who idividually use time differently in their stories. Some are more normal and sense time more logically than others, while others such as Benjy doesn't have much of a sense of it.

The opening chapter [Benjy] is the most difficult, because narrative time is structured by the mental shifts of Benjy, who is a mentally disabled member of the family. The shifts in time sequence and stream of consciousness narrating requires the reader to work at an interpretation. Readers of The Sound and the Fury must begin to piece together the plot by first learning to understand Benjy's character. The same goes for the other characters when it comes to interpretting and making inferences. Each character's sense of time relays their unique characteristics and are key to understanding the book overall. Faulkner has turned the relationship with time into a device that not only forces the readers to keep track of everything and to pay attention, but moreso to create characterizations and to expose important aspects of each character's personality and perspective on Caddy and other factors in their lives.