The Sound and the FuryThe Sound and the Fury
Score Classic
What it's about
The Compsons were once a great family in Mississippi, and they are falling apart. Their story is told four times: by Benjy, an intellectually disabled man who can't tell past from present; by Quentin, a Harvard student on the day he means to die; by Jason, the bitter, cruel brother; and finally from the side of Dilsey, the Black woman who has held the household together. At the center of all of them is their lost sister, Caddy.
Why it's worth reading
It's on the TIME, Modern Library and Bokklubben lists of the greatest novels. It's one of the most daring novels in American literature.
You'll love it if you liked
Light in August
The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
To Kill a MockingbirdGood to know
The first section is famously hard to follow, jumping through time without warning. Many readers read a summary first, or start with Light in August. There's racist language and suicide.
By the numbers
- Readers19 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics92 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller42 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #20 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #332 of the 762 classics we rank
- #1085 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark
More by William Faulkner
Absalom, Absalom!Light in August
As I Lay DyingIf you like this, read next
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Exorcist
Blood Meridian
My Cousin Rachel
Perfume
The BottomsExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is The Sound and the Fury worth reading?
Yes. It's on the TIME, Modern Library and Bokklubben lists of the greatest novels. It ranks #1,085 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 72.0 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is The Sound and the Fury about?
The Compsons were once a great family in Mississippi, and they are falling apart. Their story is told four times: by Benjy, an intellectually disabled man who can't tell past from present; by Quentin, a Harvard student on the day he means to die; by Jason, the bitter, cruel brother; and finally from the side of Dilsey, the Black woman who has held the household together. At the center of all of them is their lost sister, Caddy.
How long does it take to read The Sound and the Fury?
About 7 hours (274 pages), or about 2 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after The Sound and the Fury?
If you liked it, try Light in August by William Faulkner, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers or To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.