The Sound and the Fury

William Faulkner · 1929 · Novel

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Stream of consciousness narrative Non-linear narrative and exploration of trauma

It is a landmark of modernist narrative, employing complex stream-of-consciousness and non-linear storytelling to explore themes of memory, time, and the American South.

What it is

The novel chronicles the decline of the aristocratic Compson family through four distinct narrative voices, each offering a fragmented perspective on their history and tragedy.

↑Inherited from(1)

Mrs Dalloway· 1925↑ open

Woolf's pioneering use of stream of consciousness in 'Mrs Dalloway' directly influenced Faulkner's more fragmented and complex application of the technique.

↓Passed on to(1)

Beloved· 1987↓ open

Faulkner's experimental narrative structures to convey psychological states influenced Morrison's use of fragmented timelines to explore historical and personal trauma.