The Compson Family Curse

The insidious curse cast upon the Compson family slowly tears its members apart and destroys their relationship. The curse lasts as long as the Compson family has suffered, because its members continue to reminisce about their life’s tragedies and chaos that haunted them. Being completely absorbed by their sense of narcissism, the Compson members become very self-conscious. As they feel obligated to the mandate of the strict Southern standards, the Compsons behave in a respectful manner and reject those who attempt to denigrate their nobly reputation within the community. However, instead of moving on with their lives, the family members appear to have been trapped in a time-warp. The family’s casting aspersions exacerbate hatred among each other, which results in their relationships to become irreconcilable and eventually ruined.


The absence of authoritative, caring, and insightful parents gives rise to the disruptions of harmonious relationships in the family. The parents’ dependence on Caddy and household servants to care for Bengy is an abdication of their parental responsibility. Without giving Caddy the proper guidance during her formative years, she begins to venture into sexual activity with different men at an early age. Her promiscuity is the beginning of the curse, which inevitably leads to the family’s separation. Because of her irresponsibility, individual family members are punished and greatly affected by her indiscretions.


Quentin, her brother, felt that he was obligated to protect his sister. His regret for failing to protect her from harms is accepted by Quentin as a personal disgrace to his reputation that eventually drove him insane. Instead of dealing with the problem, he wishes that they could escape the reality of the curse by fleeing together or ending it in a suicide. The curse manifested by his dysfunctional family and the ostracism of his sister continually taunts him; and therefore, he decided to escape it by drowning himself. Burdened with the guilt from the tragic death of his son, Quentin’s father lapses into of depression. Indirectly affected by the curse, Quentin’s father’s heavy drinking leads to his early demise within two years of his son’s death.


The hostile relationship among Jason, Miss Quentin, and mother Compson reveals the bitterness shown by the family to Caddy. We discussed this observation in class, in that Jason’s extreme animosity towards Miss Quentin stems from Caddy, who caused Jason to lose his opportunity to work in Herbert’s bank. Because of Caddy’s absence, he expresses his bitterness and hatred on Miss Quentin. Although mother agreed to accept Miss Quentin and nurture her, Miss Quentin too does not grow up with parental guidance. Because Miss Quentin is ostracized and ignored by her family, her character is a product of the family’s hatred of her mother Caddy. Without the guidance needed to distinguish right from wrong, Miss Quentin merely follows the influence of her mother’s iniquitous life-style. Deprived of mother-daughter contact, it further contributes to Miss Quentin’s noxious behavior demonstrated by her snobbish, rebellious, and irresponsible characters. I believe Miss Quentin would not become promiscuous like her mother had Caddy been allowed to visit and teach her regularly as a mother should. As exemplified in her caring for Bengy, Caddy is depicted as a parental figure. Thus, I would think that had she been allowed to take care of her daughter, Miss Quentin would not become a hussy. The family curse creates the tumultuous relationship in the Compson family, which leads to their tragic collapse of familial unity. (573)