In the South you are ashamed of being a virgin. Boys. Men. They lie about it. Because it means less to women, Father said. He said it was men invented virginity not women. Father said it's like death: only a state in which the others are left and I said, But to believe it doesn't matter and he said, That's what's so sad about anything: not only virginity and I said, Why couldn't it have been me and not her who is unvirgin and he said, That's why that's sad too; nothing is even worth the changing of it...
The quote from "The Sound and the Fury" reflects on the cultural attitudes towards virginity, particularly in the South. It suggests that men often lie about their sexual experiences, indicating a societal shame associated with virginity for women. The father's perspective implies that virginity is a construct created by men and that its value differs based on gender. He equates the loss of virginity to death, emphasizing that it is others who judge and define one’s worth based on this status.
The conversation reveals the pain and confusion surrounding the concept of virginity. The characters express a sense of sadness about how deeply these societal constructs affect individual identity and worth. The narrator's longing for things to be different highlights a broader theme of regret and the tragic nature of change, suggesting that some aspects of life may never be worth the sacrifice involved in altering them.
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All the things you can talk about in anyone's work are the things that are least important.
Race of Cain, ascend to heaven, And cast God down upon the earth!
