/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.11783824]

>When the shadow of the sash appeared on the curtains it was between seven and eight o' clock and then I was in time again,hearing the watch. It was Grandfather's and when Father gave it to me he said I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire; it's rather excruciatingly apt that you will use it to gain the reducto absurdum of all human experience which can fit your individual needs no better than it fitted his or his father's. I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all your breath trying to conquer it. Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools.

What did he mean by this?

[Anonymous No.11783844]

>>11783824
Did you read the rest of the Quentin section? Did you finish the novel? This passage is very important thematically, so I'd rather you figure it out for yourself

[Anonymous No.11783855]

>>11783824
How is he so good

[Anonymous No.11783869]

>>11783824
>It was Grandfather's and when Father gave it to me he said I give you the mausoleum of all hope and desire; it's rather excruciatingly apt that you will use it to gain the reducto absurdum of all human experience which can fit your individual needs no better than it fitted his or his father's.
Time is the tomb of hope and desire. It is apposite that you will use time to gather the absurdity of human experience that will suit you no more than anyone. That is why it is a tomb.
>I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all your breath trying to conquer it
A man with a watch is more confident he’s on time than a man who just guesses.
>Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools.
No victories are ever achieved becuase eyeryone will die and then be forgotten. Every battle will be forgotten. The Earth will be forgotten. The battle is between us and time and time will always win.

[Anonymous No.11783890]

>>11783869 >>11783824

Yeet. Quentin is experiencing existential angst bc he sees that the old, romantic South (and subsequently its chivalrous, gentlemanly values) have become outmoded (as represented by his cuckoldry at the hands of Dalton Ames). Quentin looks to his father for some kind of replacement value system, but his dad is an alcoholic nihilist who says "life sucks and we're all gonna die" so Quentin goes and kills himself.

[Anonymous No.11783898]

>>11783869
The first part of your interpretation is correct but the second and third (especially second) could use some more thinking-out

[Anonymous No.11783998]

>>11783824
I don't really like Faulkner

[Anonymous No.11784013]

>>11783998

[Anonymous No.11784077]

>>11783898
Thanks Anon, I also though the second part could be interpreted as the watch is a symbol of the fathers talk with the son. He gives the son knowledge which is then symbolized as the watch so that when he looks at the watch he will remember being given the watch and the subsequent talk his father gave him.

[Anonymous No.11784364]

>>11783998