The Sound and the Fury

In the heart of the American South, William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury captures the tragic decline of the Compson family, a once-proud dynasty crumbling under the weight of betrayal, memory, and the unyielding passage of time. Set against Mississippi’s shifting social tides, the novel unfolds through the fractured voices of the Compson siblings: Benjy, whose raw, fragmented narration lays bare the family’s pain; Quentin, consumed by obsession and fading Southern honor; Jason, seething with bitterness; and Caddy, the absent sister whose shadow looms over them all.

Faulkner’s revolutionary stream-of-consciousness prose plunges readers into the depths of the characters’ torment, crafting a haunting meditation on identity, decay, and the ghosts of the past. With its daring structure and shifting perspectives, The Sound and the Fury challenges and captivates, solidifying its place as a cornerstone of American literature.

This annotated edition unlocks Faulkner’s genius, offering fresh insight into his most personal and profound work, a timeless exploration of the human soul’s unraveling. Dare to step into the storm.

About the author

William Faulkner (1897–1962) was a Nobel Prize-winning author whose novels and stories explored the complexities of the American South. Renowned for his rich, lyrical prose and his innovative narrative techniques, Faulkner’s works, including As I Lay Dying and Light in August, remain cornerstones of 20th-century literature.