Well folks, we apparently got through the part of this novel where the story is impossible to follow, but with that comes a new challenge: we have to deal with how crazy Jason is. Before going into this chapter, I couldn't say much about Jason except for how he rudely treated Caddy, but after I feel like I can't say enough about him. For starters, he is controlling, insecure, a thief, and takes all of his missed opportunities in his life out on the child he is supposed to be taking care of. I found nothing redeeming about Jason in this chapter nor do I think I'll find any in future chapters. So without further ado, let's take a closer look at the character of Jason.
I feel that an important part of Jason as a person comes from his relationship with his family, more specifically, with Miss Quentin. So basically, Miss Quentin is the love child of Caddy and someone other than her (now ex-) husband. Because of her "bastardness", Caddy sends Miss Quentin to live with her mom while she works elsewhere and sends her daughter money. Miss Quentin understandably has some issues because of her mother and father's lack of involvement in her life, but on top of this, she has to deal with the wrath of Jason. The story thickens when we learn that because of Caddy's separation from her husband, Jason lost the job at the bank where the husband worked. This causes Jason to work at a local farm supply store, which he believes is so underneath him. So after all this drama, what is left is a tense relationship between Jason and Miss Quentin. Throughout the chapter Jason is constantly trying to control Miss Quentin, often getting physical if it wasn't for the intervening from the housekeeper, Dilsey. Jason doesn't like Miss Quentin's promiscuity or the fact that she is constantly missing school. On top of this, Jason decides to take money from Miss Quentin's monthly checks from her mother. This shows that Jason feels entitled, because he believes that taking the money is just payback for all the ways Caddy had wronged him, even though everything that went down with Caddy had nothing to do with Jason.
Jason also experiences problems with other family members. His brother Quentin had always bothered him because he was able to go to Harvard. That along with the fact the Quentin becomes a drunk, makes Jason feel disdain for his whole family, believing that they wasted an opportunity on Quentin when Jason was the one who showed real potential. This is just proof that Jason is selfish. In his childhood, Jason had everything handed to him. He grew up wealthy and couldn't adjust to having to work hard in order to deal with the current financial struggles. His relationship with his other brother, Benjy, is just as bad. Jason would like nothing more than to just through Benjy in a mental institution and call it a day. I believes this reveals that Jason hides from his problems and never likes to face them heads on. He doesn't want to take responsibility for Benjy, or Miss Quentin, or his job, or where he is in his life. He blames others for holes that he himself has dug. Or sometimes he is stuck in a hole and makes no attempt to get out of it, hoping that if he whines enough, somehow he'll get out of there.
With all this being said, I feel that, with all the stuff that Jason is going through, his actions are totally valid. Now I said they were valid but that doesn't mean he should do them. Everyone would feel the way he feels if that happened to them, the only difference is how most people would deal with it. Most people, myself included, wouldn't let hiccups in our journey's stop us from getting where we want to go, humans are problem solvers and when we have an issue we fix it. I believe that since Jason came from wealth, he never learned how to fix his problems. Now as an adult, he is stuck with so many issues that they just pile up around him and all he can do is scream at them and hope that something works. Unfortunately, I feel that no amount of screaming can save Jason from the living hell he is currently in, but honestly, I'm not mad about it.
Agreed that his actions are expected, he is honestly a spoiled brat who wants things his way and only his way
ReplyDeleteI can see that Jason's actions are valid in his view of the old South. The only thing I don't agree with is that he never learned to solve his own problems. I think he knows full and well that there is an honest way and an easy/cheating way to help himself. However, he believes that by solving his problems this way will hurt Caddy, who he believes is the root of his problems, the most.
ReplyDeleteI think that a big part of Jason's character is his inability to take responsibility. By always placing blame on other people, Jason almost allows all of these troubles to build up around him. I think that his life seems terrible because he didn't do anything to make it less terrible. He merely whined and complained about it. Therefore, if he would have just worked for a better life, then perhaps he might have gotten one.
ReplyDeleteI love how you were humorous in your blog, but you still gave an excellent explanation of Jason's chapter. I agree that although the other chapters before his were difficult to understand, they at least were narrated by more likeable characters.
ReplyDeleteI love how you were humorous in your blog, but you still gave an excellent explanation of Jason's chapter. I agree that although the other chapters before his were difficult to understand, they at least were narrated by more likeable characters.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your comment that Jason is stuck in a big mess of his own making, and I too find myself not upset about it. I like your point that no matter how much he screams about it all, he probably won't find anyway out.
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