Analysis Of Darl Bunden

Mental Health Magazine
Is Darl Bundren Insane? In the novel As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, Darl Bundren, one of the most prominent narrators of the story is deemed insane and institutionalized by his family. His family has always believed that Darl was a little off from the rest of the family and after burning a barn down, they decide that the best way to avoid any further trouble is to declare him insane and get rid of the problem. However, Darl was in mourning and his coping mechanisms might have been what made him act “insane”. The question then becomes, was Darl truly insane? To understand insanity, we must first understand sanity. Marriam-Webster’s definition of “sane” is “mentally sound” and “healthy in body.” However, the definition of sanity goes beyond that. It is being mostly or completely in control of your actions and have the capacity to think through the consequences. It is also, knowing right from wrong and when certain actions are acceptable or not. It is

For example, he is able to narrate a scene that he is not present in. He is the one that tells of the moment Addie died but his character is in fact miles away from Jewel. In his location, he simply knows that Addie died and informs Jewel. In this aspect, Darl can be considered, by definition, insane. His psychological informs him of his mother’s death, there's no clear explanation on how, and he is basing it off his emotions rather than logic. Furthermore, if this is what it takes to consider Darl “insane” then why is the rest of his family absolved from this judgement? Vardaman convinced himself that his mother is a fish and sticks to that thought with complete disregard from logical thought. Although he has not burned any barns down, it doesn’t mean that he is any saner than Darl is. However, he is given the benefit that he is a child and isn't expected to process information the same way an adult