In The Sound and The Fury, the sections narrated by Quentin and Jason respectively show two very different characters who have very similar motivations. Both Compson men are intensely concerned with protecting the family honor.
Quentin seeks to maintain the code of ethics of a Southern gentleman. He wants to protect his family’s reputation by living up to a set of standards. He continually mentions how he wishes to protect his sister from men who he feels are not suitable for her because they are not gentlemen. In addition, Caddy’s loss of virginity greatly disturbs him because it signifies that his family honor has been sullied. However, because he loves Caddy he does not use this information as justification to mistreat her. The paradox of the person he loves the most destroying his fundamental beliefs is enough to drive him to end his own life.
Jason wants to protect the family honor for more selfish reasons. Like his mother, Jason is very pretentious and arrogant. He wants to have an excellent reputation because of his family and he censures them when they do not fulfill his expectations. Like Quentin, he sees Caddy as the main contributor to the loss of his honor. Although, since the only member of the family with whom Jason feels a genuine connection is his mother, he has no problem severing all ties to Caddy. In addition to frustration with Caddy’s behavior, Jason harbors a very strong jealously of Quentin because he feels that the opportunity to attend Harvard was wasted on him. By distancing himself from the rest of his family, Jason hopes to create a good reputation independently. However, by the end of the novel, it is apparent that none of the other characters admire the way he treats his family.
Jason’s egotistical desire for honor is also apparent in the way he treats his niece, Quentin. He sees her as nothing more than the product of Caddy’s sinful actions and treats her as such. Jason refuses to accept any money from Caddy and never mentions her name in his house in hopes that forgetting her will bring back his honor. However, because of Quentin he cannot forget about Caddy because she so closely resembles her. Both of the Quentins disappear as a result of quests for honor that become futile due to Caddy’s actions. Mr. Quentin’s death is brought about by his own struggle with honor. Ms. Quentin disappears as a result of Jason’s zealous desire for a good reputation. (417)
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Lauren--I think you make a key point in identifying a similarity here, but you also manage to see the crucial difference as well. Because there is, as you point out, a difference between honor (in the Quentin sense) as a code of ethical behavior which one holds to and which guides the way life is lived), and reputation (in the Jason sense) as a concern for how others might be judging him and the family, despite the censure that his own behavior should rightly bring upon him. The more positive and substantial meaning of honor (the Quentin sense) is completely lost on him in his narrow preoccupation with reputation.
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