<P> The four parts of the novel relate many of the same episodes , each from a different point of view and therefore with emphasis on different themes and events . This interweaving and nonlinear structure makes any true synopsis of the novel difficult , especially since the narrators are all unreliable in their own way , making their accounts not necessarily trustworthy at all times . Also in this novel , Faulkner uses italics to indicate points in each section where the narrative is moving into a significant moment in the past . The use of these italics can be confusing , however , as time shifts are not always marked by the use of italics , and periods of different time in each section do not necessarily stay in italics for the duration of the flashback . Thus , these time shifts can often be jarring and confusing , and require particularly close reading . </P>
what do the italics mean in the sound and the fury
to indicate points in each section where the narrative is moving into a significant moment in the past