April 6th, 1928

I like Jason as a narrator because he is capable of communicating with basic grammar and coherent (although hateful and bigoted) thought, but I hate him as a character. He is utterly detestable. His chapter is profanity laden from the first line, "Once a b*tch always a b*tch, what I say" (p. 113). We know right away what he thinks about women. It doesn't take long to notice that Jason is full of hatred, jealousy, and contempt. To some extent he envies Quentin's education, and he certainly does not demonstrate much care for Benjy. I was appalled by some of Jason's discriminatory comments; he immediately reveals his sexist, racist, and anti-Semitic sentiments.

However, one must read Jason's chapter with perspective. It's easy to get consumed in hating Jason, but what's more important is why Faulkner created such a repugnant character. I'm honestly not sure yet, but I anticipate a better perspective when I've finished the book.

Another thing that makes Jason's narration stand apart from Benjy or Quentin is the way he skews things. With Benjy and Quentin both, we experience things as they do; with Jason we are fed his perspective. It's certainly something to keep in mind while reading his chapter.