Jefferson, Mississippi

Jefferson, Mississippi is the central setting of the novel. This is the town where the Compson family has resided for many generations. They were considered Southern aristocracy, but have fallen since the Civil War. The town is small and does not offer much opportunity to the younger generation. It is a farming community.

Most of the novel takes place at the Compson home or on their property. The family’s identity is centered around their family estate. The lost of part of it to fund Quentin’s education affects Benjy who loses the pasture in which he enjoys to roam. Quentin feels responsible for losing the land because their identity is tied to the estate.

Harvard

Quentin attends Harvard and drowns himself in the Charles River near the end of his first term. He does not like it there. He does not fit in with the other...