Faulkner was a towering figure in American literature during the first half of the 20thcentury. With Ernest Hemingwayo he is usually considered one of the two greatest Americannovelists of his era. Faulkner was particularly noted for the eloquent richness of his prosestyle and for the unique blend of tragedy and humor in his works. His novels have a stunningemotional impact and his characters are highly memorable. The dramatic force and vividnessof Faulkners best work is unsurpassed in modem fiction. Faulkner often described himself as "just a farmer who likes to tell stories." His style,however, was that of a consummately skilled craftsman. His luxuriant prose style andcomplicated plot structure make some of his works difficult to read. Although he wrote almostexclusively about the South he was not a regional novelist, instead examining universalthemes of concern to all humanity. The Sound and the Fury, published in 1929, his fourth novel and is considered his firstmasterpiece and finest novel. Set in Mississippi during the early decades of the twentieth century, The Sound and theFury tells the tumultuous story of the Compson familys gradual deterioration. The novel isdivided into four sections. At the center of the novel is the brothers sister, Caddy Compson. Faulkner is a master in using contrast. This thesis is intended to discuss his art of contrastin The Sound and the Fury in three chapters. Chapter one deals with contrast in episodes;second part discusses contrast in characters; third part is about contrast in structure andimagery. His use of contrast effectively adds a depth to the individual characters and theirstory and the themes of the novel.