Dilsey Gibson
Text:
Character Key:
Display Name:
Dilsey Gibson
Sort Name:
Gibson, Dilsey
Race:
Black
Gender:
Female
Class:
Free Black
Rank:
Major
Vitality:
Alive
Family:
Gibson
Family (new):
Occupation:
Domestic Service
Specific Job:
Cook and Caretaker
First Mentioned:
Other Texts:
Biography:
Dilsey is one of the central characters in The Sound and the Fury. She has worked for the Compson family for many decades, and may once have been their slave, or be descended from people who were enslaved by the family. Her own family inhabits the novel as a kind of foil to the Compsons. Married to Roskus, she is the mother of Versh, Frony, and T.P. and the grandmother of Luster. While technically she is the Compsons' cook, she is also generally responsible for keeping together both their family and her own. She is a devout Christian, a loyal servant and a very caring human being. As a character she is both related to the "mammy" stereotype and one of Faulkner's most dignified and impressive creations.
Financial Status:
laborer (works for wages)
Individual or Group:
Individual
Character changes class in this text:
digyok:node/character/4076