The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner, is an excellent depiction of cultural change in America in the 1920s. The interaction between the black servants and their white employers portrays the sense of feeling that was sweeping through the South because they knew that times were changing, the aristocracy was slowly declining, and Modernism was rapidly growing. One of the strongest characters in the novel is Dilsey, who narrates the last part of the novel. She is depicted as a grandmother figure, a black servant of the Compson family. Dilsey was present when the Compson family rose to power and remains throughout their downward spiral. Dilsey also represents a deeper meaning to the novel, he represents the modern era that is soon dawning in time, the progressive and liberal culture. He plays three different roles in the novel that concern the Compson family and through these roles the cultural change can be seen. Dilsey plays the authoritative role in the Compson house, she is seen as a motherly figure to the Compson children, and lastly, Dilsey is the symbol of hope for the Compson family. Dilsey takes on the authoritative role in the Compson family that is seen throughout the novel, especially the last section where she narrates and everything is from her point of view. Regardless of being a black woman, Dilsey has honorable status in the house. Yes, there are times when she is mistreated by Mrs. Compson, Jason, or Miss Quentin, but they listen to her anyway. There are times when Dilsey openly challenges Jason and berates him. This is shown most clearly in the last section of the novel where Jason tells Dilsey to go wake up Miss Quentin but Dilsey rejects him and tells him that on Sunday I... middle of the paper... inferior and their status does not it was nothing more than that of a servant, if nothing else. Dilsey, on the other hand, held a more honorable position and status in the Compson family. Even speaking to her properly at the same time would be considered embarrassing, much less giving commands and talking back, as Dilsey dares to do. Through Dilsey, the novel and Faulkner himself represent the temporal changes and cultural changes that the aristocratic and traditional society went through and transformed into a liberal and progressive society like that of the North, where slavery was seen as a morally wrong act, of course. The Compsons didn't like the changes that were happening, but they were forced to accept and move on because they had nothing else to lose and rely on. Dilsey has a very strong presence in the novel and through it the reader can truly see what the times were like then and how they are now..