"Once a Bitch Always a Bitch"

There is very little about Jason Compson that is redeeming. He is racist, misogynistic, power hungry, corrupt, bitter, and Anti-Semitic. He is definitely NOT my favorite character; however, there is one character whom I like even less than Jason: Caroline Compson, a.k.a. “Mother.” Not only is she selfish, nagging, hypochondriacal, and has a serious martyr complex, but also is responsible for the way that Jason has turned out in life.

Since they were very young, the Compson children have been a divided group. On Father’s side there is Benjy, Caddy, and Quentin. Although they turn out to be the biggest “failures” (Benjy has mental problems, Caddy disgraces her family, and Quentin commits suicide) in the family, they experience the unconditional love of their doting father. Jason, on the other hand, is truly his mother’s son. He is his mother’s favorite and was spoiled and adored by Damuddy, his maternal grandmother. In the end, he becomes selfish like his mother and is the one child who stays with her and manages the Compson family. Mother furthers the division between the children when she makes comments naming Jason as a Bascomb and the other children as Compsons: “[Jason] is the only one of my children with any practical sense you can thank me for that he takes after my people the others are all Compson” (94), and “let me have Jason and you keep the others they’re not my flesh and blood like he is strangers nothing of mine and I am afraid of them I can take Jason” (104).

Mother constantly puts pressure on Jason, even from a young age. Whether or not she is aware of it, her stating that only Jason loves her and is there for her and is her child turns Jason into the bitter person that he is. He both loves and resents his mother and is the only one who calls her on her nagging. When mother, in her martyrly way, says, “I know I’m just a trouble and a burden to you,” Jason responds, “I ought to know it….You’ve been telling me hat for thirty years” (181). This retort is Jason’s best moment.

Jason’s attitude towards other characters in the book parallel that of his mother. From the Benjy section, we can see that Mother considers Benjy to be a burden, a punishment for her sins (103). Similarly, Jason complains about his having to provide for Benjy and cynically suggests to “rent him out to a sideshow; there must be folks somewhere that would pay a dime to see him” (196). Mother’s feelings toward Caddy after she becomes pregnant are made clear the night the Compsons take Quentin in. Mother does not want to put Quentin in Caddy’s old room because it is “contaminated,” and demands that Caddy’s name never be said in front of Quentin (199). Jason’s opinion of Caddy is obvious right at the beginning of his section when he says, “Once a bitch always a bitch” (180). He is just plain mean to her in all of their interactions, taking advantage of her at every opportunity. Clearly, Mother’s constant demeaning of Benjy and Caddy has influenced Jason.

I certainly am not vindicating Jason. He is still a despicable human being who is unnecessarily mean. However, his attitudes and actions are not surprising considering the parent with whom he spends the most time and to whom he relates the most. (568 words)