d her to the window and Caddy saw her and sort of jumped forward (Faulkner 205). Jason craves power and, especially, power over his disgraceful sister. After her marriage fell apart, Jason found himself without the job Caddys ex-husband promised to him, and he felt compelled to take matters into his own hands by raising her rebellious daughter. It may also be noted that Jasons desire to exercise control over Caddys life stems from childhood feelings of alienation. Though Jason seems to be a logical, intelligent man, he is not fit to rule the Compson family as a monarch does a country, and his narration comes off as abrasivefuriousrather than sensible. Ironically, the most stable, solid character in Faulkners story of the downward spiral of the Compson dynasty is their black servant, Dilsey. The final section of this novel is told from a third-person-omniscient point of view, but focuses on Dilsey and the historic placement of the fall of this tragic family. Despite Jasons attempts to preside over the family, Dilsey succeeds as the one tie that binds them all together, the keystone of the Compsons. When she rang a small clear bellMrs. Compson and Jason [descended] for dinner, as if she were in command of all activities in the household (Faulkner 277). Her authority in that house surpasses that of any other person, even the difficult, stubborn Jason. Though she may have only been a servant and managed to put food on the table every night and to do all other necessary household chores, she is a crucial part of their lives, as well as their tragedy. She is so important to their fall only because she is the sole individual who could foresee the Compsons unfortunate fate: Ive seed de first en de lastI seed de beginnin, en now I sees de endin (Faulkner 297). When Dilsey realizes that her employers are whirling violently into a downward spiral of corruption and, eventually, extinction, one is convinced that she is the only rational person in th...
