Benjy and Caddy's Relationship

The character Benjy can be defined by two main qualities: his medical condition and his love and attachment to his sister Caddy. Benjy is extremely mentally underdeveloped. His body grows and goes through puberty but his mind does not grow and expand with knowledge. He is unable to speak and fully comprehend his feelings and the things he sees. As a result of this he is cast aside in his family and in his society. However, Benjy’s sister, Caddy, loves him unconditionally. She understands him the most and connects to Benjy on a level that no other character does. Benjy in return places all of his happiness in Caddy. Caddy always sticks up for Benjy, treats him with love and respect, and helps him when Benjy is in need. Caddy will always be at Benjy’s side when he needs her and Benjy knows this. Benjy has such a deep connection to Caddy that he knows when she is being led away from him by other people, causing him to agonize over her and her staying with him.

The largest problem with Benjy and Caddy’s relationship is that Benjy wants Caddy to himself at all times. He does not want Caddy to ever leave him. Benjy first has trouble with Caddy growing up when he discovers her wearing perfume. This distresses Benjy because to him Caddy always smells like trees. Her perfume makes Caddy’s smell unrecognizable to him and gives him his first impression of her leaving him and their childhood relationship behind. Caddy calms Benjy down and comforts his by washing the perfume off and promising Benjy she will never wear it again. Caddy chooses Benjy over the perfume and shows her devotion to him. Later Benjy becomes upset when he finds Caddy with a boy named Charlie. Benjy is threatened by Charlie and the image he puts in Benjy’s head. Benjy views Charlie as someone who is trying to take Caddy away from him. Once again Caddy consoles Benjy and again washes herself off so she no longer has on lipstick and the remains of a kiss. Caddy promises Benjy she will never do that again which eases Benjy’s crying. This is a huge gesture that Caddy is giving Benjy. At first glance is seems like a very loving gift but in reality it only ends up hurting Benjy more in the end when Caddy can no longer wash away Benjy’s troubles and keep such promises. When Caddy looses her virginity Benjy instantly knows that part of the Caddy he loves has become lost to him. Benjy tries to approach Caddy and force her to wash away what she did and promise to never do it again, but she can not go through with it. Caddy realizes that she can not keep such a promise to Benjy and she is hurt and upset by it. Benjy is even more distraught because he cannot fully understand the situation and the fact that Caddy is growing up. When Caddy is married, the family keeps Benjy away from the ceremony and party because it will be too much for Benjy to understand and accept.

When Caddy moves away from home, after she marries, Benjy does not understand that she is gone and will not be coming home to him everyday. Benjy continues to wait for Caddy to come home at the gate just as he had his whole life. As Caddy fails to appear everyday Benjy cries and moans. He wants to talk his thoughts through but he is unable to. His inability to speak and accept that Caddy was not leaving him specifically, but rather leaving her adolescence, inhibits Benjy from appreciating the situation. Benjy’s undying love for Caddy serves as a great happiness and source of strength for him when she is around, but once Caddy moves away it becomes Benjy’s greatest sorrow in his life.