Who is Wash from Collected Stories of William Faulkner and what is their importance?

Wash is the Grandfather of Milly in the story "Wash." Wash is probably what would be considered poor white trash in the culture of the old south. He does not go to war with the owner of the plantation on which he lives. He instead stays behind and looks after the place. The slaves of the plantation make fun of him and at one point, the house servant will not even let him in the house because of his social standing. Wash believes Sutpen, the master of the house thinks more highly of him. He does not learn until he hears the way Sutpen refers to Wash's granddaughter how low Sutpen's opinion of Wash and his family actually is. In retaliation, Wash kills Sutpen, whom he believed would take care of the mother of his baby. He then kills his granddaughter and the baby and allows himself to be killed, knowing that his family will be viewed as the ones who killed the southern war hero and not treated well.