Chloe Adams
In the novel 'The Sound and the Fury', Benjy is a man with severe intellectual disabilities who is being looked after by a teenager named Luster. On Benjy's thirty-third birthday, Dilsey, the family cook, bakes him a cake. Luster and Benjy eat some of the cake, but it is unclear who blows out the candles. In real life, it is considered rude for someone other than the birthday boy or girl to blow out the candles on their cake.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Benjy |
| Date of Birth | 7 April 1928 |
| Age | 33 |
| Caretaker | Luster |
| Parents | Mr. and Mrs. Compson |
| Sister | Candace (Caddy) |
| Uncle | Maury |
| Family House | Compson House |
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What You'll Learn
Luster, the 14-year-old carer, and Benjy eat the cake
Luster, the 14-year-old carer, and Benjy finally reach the Compson house. Dilsey, the family cook and Luster's grandmother, has baked Benjy a birthday cake. She lights the candles on the cake. Benjy, who has severe intellectual disabilities, is the youngest son of the aristocratic Compson family.
Luster and Benjy sit down to eat the cake. However, before they can begin, Benjy is reminded of a memory from his past. He and his sister, Candace (Caddy), had once sat by the fire together. This memory causes Benjy to become upset, and he reaches into the fire, burning his hand. Luster, exasperated by Benjy's behaviour, decides to take him to the library to calm him down.
In the library, Benjy is reminded of another memory from 1900 when he was only five years old. He and Caddy had been in the library together. As Luster and Benjy continue to eat the cake, Benjy's memories and emotions overwhelm him. Luster, trying to be patient, attempts to soothe Benjy and prevent him from hurting himself further.
Despite Luster's efforts, Benjy's emotions get the better of him. Mrs. Compson, Benjy's mother, enters the room, frustrated by her son's wailing. She expresses her exasperation, more concerned about her own rest than Benjy's well-being. Luster, feeling the weight of his caretaking responsibilities, decides to take Benjy away from the cake and the commotion, hoping to find a moment of peace for them both.
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Dilsey, the family cook, bakes the cake and lights the candles
Dilsey, the family cook, bakes Benjy a cake and lights the candles for his thirty-third birthday. Dilsey is also the grandmother of Luster, a Black teenager who is looking after Benjy. Luster and Benjy then eat some of the cake.
Dilsey has been working for the aristocratic Compson family of Jefferson, Mississippi, for many years. She has been a loyal servant to the family and is particularly fond of Benjy, who has severe intellectual disabilities. On the day of his birthday, she bakes him a special cake and ensures that the candles are lit so that he can make a wish.
As Benjy sits down in front of the fire, he is briefly reminded of a time when he and his sister, Caddy, sat near the fire just after his parents changed his name from Maury to Benjy. The fire and the sight of the lit candles on his birthday cake trigger fond memories for Benjy, who is deeply attached to his family and their home.
Dilsey's act of baking the cake and lighting the candles is a simple but meaningful gesture that brings joy to Benjy's birthday celebration. It also showcases the warmth and dedication of a long-serving family cook, who goes out of her way to create a memorable occasion for Benjy and the Compson family.
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Benjy's name change from Maury
In the novel "The Sound and the Fury", the character Benjy was originally named Maury. Benjy is a man with a severe intellectual disability who is cared for by a Black teenager named Luster. Benjy's name change from Maury is significant and sheds light on the dynamics of the Compson family, of whom Benjy is the youngest son.
Firstly, the name change can be interpreted as an attempt by the family to distance themselves from any negative connotations associated with the name "Maury". The name "Maury" means "moor" or "dark-skinned" and descends from the Latin name "Maurice". Given Benjy's mental disability, the family may have wanted to avoid any further "stains" on their name.
Secondly, the name change may be related to Uncle Maury, Mrs. Compson's brother, who lives off the Compson family's money and has an affair with their neighbour, Mrs. Patterson. Benjy and his sister Caddy are used as messengers to deliver Uncle Maury's love letters. It is speculated that Benjy was initially named after his uncle, but when his disability became apparent, the family no longer wanted him associated with Maury.
The name change to "Benjy" is significant as it means "son of my right hand". This could suggest that Benjy needed to be constantly attended to and positioned at the right hand of his father. Additionally, the name change may be an attempt by Mrs. Compson to treat Benjy like an adult and to redeem the family in some way.
The moment Benjy learns of his new name is significant as it demonstrates the family's secrecy and their failure to address his disability. Caddy, Benjy's sister, is the only one who tries to comfort him and break the news lightly. This event highlights the true nature of the Compson family members and their inner conflicts.
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Benjy's sister, Candace (Caddy)
Candace, or Caddy as she is called by her brother Benjy, is the sister of Benjy, the man looked after by a Black teenager named Luster. Benjy, who has severe intellectual disabilities, is the youngest son of the aristocratic Compson family of Jefferson, Mississippi. On Benjy's thirty-third birthday, Luster takes him around the Compson property to search for a lost quarter.
Benjy's sister Candace is mentioned when Benjy hears one of the golfers calling out to his caddie, which reminds him of his sister, whom he calls Caddy. This memory annoys Luster, who chides Benjy for his crying. However, Caddy appears again in Benjy's memories as they walk past the carriage house, reminding him of a time they visited the family cemetery. In this memory, Caddy is with Benjy as they deliver one of their Uncle Maury's love letters to Mrs. Patterson, their neighbour.
Caddy also appears in another memory from 1900 when she and Benjy sat near the fire, shortly after their parents changed his name from Maury to Benjy. This memory is triggered when Benjy sits in front of the fire after his birthday, eating cake.
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Benjy's family, the aristocratic Compsons of Jefferson, Mississippi
The Compsons are an aristocratic Southern family from Jefferson, Mississippi, with a lineage that stretches back to before the Civil War. The family's history is a sad one, filled with delinquency and despair. The novel 'The Sound and the Fury' by William Faulkner details the moral decay of the Compsons, who declined in wealth, morality, and sanity after the Civil War.
The Compson family tree includes a military general and a former governor of Mississippi. The story is told through the perspectives of four siblings: Benjy, Quentin, Jason IV, and Caddy, the children of Jason Compson III and Caroline Compson. Benjy, the novel's first narrator, is a mute, intellectually disabled man who experiences time through disjointed memories. On his thirty-third birthday, Benjy is looked after by a black teenager named Luster, who takes him around the Compson property and to a nearby golf course, which was once part of the family's estate.
The family's decline is further evidenced by the characterisation of Benjy's parents. Jason III is a philosophical but ineffective alcoholic, and Caroline is a self-absorbed hypochondriac. The children also face their own challenges, with the central tension of the story revolving around the brothers' individual obsessions with their sister, Caddy. Quentin, for example, is haunted by memories of Caddy's promiscuity and lies to his father about committing incest with her.
The family's history is also tied to the county's history, with the Compsons acquiring their land through the dispossession of the Chickasaw Indian tribe. Over time, the Compsons sell off parts of their land, and by 1910, they have sold most of it to pay for Caddy's wedding and Quentin's education. Following the death of his mother, Jason IV converts the remaining house into apartments and sells it, ending the Compson family's ownership of any large tract of land in Yoknapatawpha.
In terms of who blows out Benjy's birthday candles, it is not explicitly stated in the sources provided. However, it can be inferred that Benjy himself does not blow out the candles, as he is intellectually disabled and mute. It is possible that Luster, his caretaker, assists him in blowing out the candles, as he is present during the birthday celebration and eats cake with Benjy.
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