Quote 4
Whoever
God is, He would not permit that. I’m a lady. You might not believe
that from my offspring, but I am.
Mrs. Compson says these words in the
final chapter, upon learning that Miss Quentin has run away. She
initially believes that Miss Quentin might have killed herself,
but she dismisses the thought, believing that God would never allow
her children to hurt her in such a way. This comment provides a
great deal of insight into Mrs. Compson’s thought process. First,
it demonstrates the depth of her self-absorption, as she implies
that she interpreted her son Quentin’s suicide as an attempt to
defy or hurt her. She still has no concept of the depth of despair
that Quentin experienced, and she arrogantly assumes that his motivation
for killing himself was merely to spite her. Additionally, Mrs.
Compson seems to think that her aristocratic social status gives
her special privileges in the eyes of God. Mrs. Compson displays
this selfishness, obliviousness, and materialism throughout the
novel. She has discarded and corrupted the values upon which her
family was founded, yet still relies on ancestry to justify her
position in the world. Mrs. Compson is obsessed with the concept
of family—the greatness of her family history and name—but she shows
no capacity to love or care for her children, the last hope she
has for maintaining her legacy.
