Text Connections

Throughout The Sound and The Fury, there are several text-to-text connections which can be shown to interlink some of the characters and actions with those from the bible. The term “the fat of the land” is said multiple times throughout the novel, which also appears in John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, as well as originates from the bible in the Sermon on the Mount, spoken by Jesus. There is also a connection between Jesus and Benjamin, as both are thirty three years old, the latter during the novel and the former when he is crucified. The multiple chapters beginning at the start of April along with the multiple deaths draw a connection between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday to the novel. The prevailing theme of innocence lost also permeates the novel as Caddy loses her virginity and the suicide of Quentin senior demonstrates the loss of innocence similar to the loss of innocence of the people on earth before Jesus is sacrifices himself in order to purify and atone for their loss.