Women and Their Roles - Sound and the Fury by Faulkner

On the other hand, she turns against Caddy when she finds out that Caddy is pregnant. Caroline says, "what have I done to have been given children like these Benjamin was punishment enough and now for her to have no more regard for me her own mother I've suffered for her dreamed and planned and sacrificed I went down into the valley yet never since she opened her eyes has she given me one unselfish thought at time I look at her I wonder if she can be my child. . .," (102-03). Caroline is upset because she thinks

Caddy has not shown her love. She is also upset because she doesn't want to put up with Benjy's crying. She does not want to be disturbed by him. Caroline doesn't have love in her heart for her children, especially when they disappoint her by their actions.

Dilsey basically takes over the role of being the mother. Since Caroline spends a lot of time in her room, the children are left in the care of Dilsey or of the two older ones. Dilsey lets them play outside in the rain because she says, "rain never hurt young folks," (169). She always takes care of the children and disciplines them, especially when Caroline isn't around.

Caddy doesn't have a section in the book where she can express her feelings about her family and their background. Her attitude towards her family is negative because of her pregnancy and not being married. As a result, she feels rejected. Also, the narrator can tell the story more objectively than Caddy can.

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