How to read ”Stream of Consciousness”?

[J_BlueFlower]

I would like your general advice on how to read and appreciate Stream of Consciousness writing.

I am reading The Sound and the Fury.

The first part (Benjy's chapter) I was OK with. I could sort of figure out bits and was enjoying the extremely unusual narrative form as a sort of riddle. I don't think it qualifies as stream of consciousness.

I am a bit into the second chapter now. Quentin's weird jumps and associations are just so hard to make any sense of.

Example: “Theatrical fixture. Just papier-mache, then touch. Oh. Asbestos. Not quite bronze. But wont see him at the house. “
fixture? Papier-mache? Asbestos? What?!

Apparently asbestos is not the lung-cancer stuff but a type of flat iron here. I had no idea until I looked it up.

Should I look up all I don't understand or just read it and let the text pass like a shower? How do I read this?

How do you in general read Stream of Consciousness?

[Gini]

I'm certainly no expert, but I've found that if relax into the scene and think in single words of what you/character see it helps. The character sees a stage prop or decoration, wants to touch it and does. His assumption that it was one product and finds it's another seems to trigger another association in this example. And yes it's the asbestos u originally thought. At the time no one knew about it's lung cancer involvement. Or cared. It didn't burn and that was a good thing.

[Terris]

J_BlueFlower wrote: "I would like your general advice on how to read and appreciate Stream of Consciousness writing.

I am reading The Sound and the Fury.

The first part (Benjy's chapter) I was OK with. ..."

I also am no expert, but I think you might just have to let it flow over you. I don't personally like Stream of Consciousness writing, really hard for me to follow. But I'm afraid if you look up and try to study every little thing you might not be able to force yourself through it! And by letting some things flow past, you'll probably get the deeper meaning as you "drift" along :)
Good luck! ;)
P.S. I recently read The Sound and The Fury and I didn't like it at all! I have more Faulkner books I need to read and I don't know if I can force myself. So let me know, after you read this, if you learn anything that would be helpful to me!

[Patrick]

J_BlueFlower wrote: "I would like your general advice on how to read and appreciate Stream of Consciousness writing.

Thank you for posting this, I had the same experience.

[Laurie]

I personally don't get along with SoC writing, but you have to wade through it in some of the must read classics (To the Lighthouse, As I Lay Dying, Ulysses, etc.). I agree with the others that it works best to let it flow over you rather than look stuff up. You will miss plenty of references, but as long as you start getting the gist of the story, each specific reference shouldn't matter much. Good luck with this. I read it 30 years ago for a college class, but I remember very little. I have it on my personal 20th century challenge, so I will tackle it again someday.

[Michele]

Gini wrote: "I'm certainly no expert, but I've found that if relax into the scene..."

I think that's good advice -- "go with the flow" and focus on how it makes you feel, as opposed to what happens, plot, sequence of events.

Last winter I read Kazuo Ishiguro's The Unconsoled. At first I was utterly baffled but once I gave up trying to make sequential sense out of it and just fell into the experience -- as if I was dreaming -- I quite enjoyed it. Still couldn't tell you what actually happened in it though :)

[J_BlueFlower]

I have read the whole book now, and now I understand that that section was not supposed to be understood the first time. I think the book is meant to be read more than once. I re-read the most of the first chapter (Benjy's chapter). And it was very interesting to see how much more clear the story was and marvel at how much Faulkner was trying to help the reader with italics and other tricks. Like Benjy's age is stated twice. One flashback has Caddy's age too to help frame it.

[Mark]

Dear J_BlueFlower: That's so cool! I had exactly the same experience! Exactly. - )

[Sue]

J_BlueFlower wrote: "I have read the whole book now, and now I understand that that section was not supposed to be understood the first time. I think the book is meant to be read more than once. I re-read the most of t..."

Great to know, thanks for sharing! I hope I remember that when I get around to reading this.

[Mark]

Sue wrote: "J_BlueFlower wrote: "I have read the whole book now, and now I understand that that section was not supposed to be understood the first time. I think the book is meant to be read more than once. I ..."
Your quite welcome. It was shocking to find out someone had had an identical experience. Go GoodReads! - )