As I Lay Dying Essay
A journey of epic proportions where boys become men and girls become women. Seeking goals and reaching a goal is how this story goes. This epic journey involves many different characters all in search of specific goals. Hiding details from each other and all working towards a common goal while secretly focusing on their own dreams. The definition of one epic journey involves finding the promised land, which is an archetypal theme in As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, this theme relates to characters such as, Dewey Dell, Anse, as well as Cash.
The motivation for Dewey Dell’s journey, the only daughter in this story, relates to that of an archetypal journey in search of a promise land. In the beginning of the story readers
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He does not do much other than attempt to manage his kids. Throughout the story we begin to see the more greedy side of Anse. “Now I can get them teeth”(Faulkner 52). This shows the darker side of him and reveals a small part of why he wants to go to Jefferson. Anse covers his selfish motives with the idea that Addie wished for the family to transport her dead body to her hometown for burial. Anse absolutely did not have to do that, he most likely did it for personal gain to reach his archetypal promise land. One of these promise land motivations is a place where Anse is no longer bothered by his sick and dying wife. Anse had to deal with her for a long time, and feels that once he reaches Jefferson, he can restart his life. Another reason that spoken explicitly to the reader is Anse's quest for new teeth. As low class farmers, the family may have not had access to dentists. The thought of Jefferson, a semi-wealthy city, gives Anse the hope of purchasing new teeth. By saying this, he means getting implants and possibly getting his own teeth fixed up. Perhaps the most shocking motivation Anse has for finding his promise land isn’t revealed until it is already done. This happens when Anse walks up to the kids with a woman and says, ”Meet Mrs Bundren”(Faulkner 261). This comes as a shock to both the …show more content…
The first thought of a promise land is where Cash sees finishing the coffin for his mother as a promise land in and of itself. He feels that if the coffin is a success than he will have succeeded in life and can move onto bigger and better things. Such as being able to go to town to practice carpentry. This promise land is incomparable to the later recognized promise land of fixing his badly broken leg. Cash himself does not see the promised land as a place where he gets his leg fixed. Readers can see this throughout the journey as Cash repeats the saying “I feel fine”(Faulkner 215). Cash feels that his leg is not a big deal. However the reader knows that it is, and sees a promise land for a character who does not see it for themselves. Many other characters throughout the extent of Cash’s injury tell him that he needs to seek help. He seems to be in denial, seen in the above quote. The reader knows however that Cash will realize his promise land when he realizes seeing a doctor will help his leg immensely. This is how the archetypal journey for the seeking of a promise land relates to
Steinbeck and Hodgins both examine the idea of “promised land” where their characters, Steinbeck’s Joad family and Hodgins’s returned soldiers, hope to find both joy and prosperity. The characters, however, later learn that the idea of the “promised land” is simply just that - an idea - because it does not exist. While the “promised land” is different in both novels, it being a beautiful home and paying jobs in The Grapes of Wrath and actual land for settlement in Broken Ground, it represents the same hope for both novels – the hope of new, positive beginnings. Both Steinbeck and Hodgins lead readers to believe that the relocation of their characters is setting the stage for a turn of events in their lives, a turn for the better. This change, though, ...
He has treated his family poorly, because he puts himself first. Examples include Dewey Dell’s abortion money being stolen and Jewel’s horse being bargained. Anse’s attitude toward life is terrible. He wakes up everyday wanting to have a better life, then pities about the life he has now. He bases his decision with living the life he has, on God. He expects a reward in Heaven, in return for the life he has now. His relationship with his wife is very interesting. Normally, when a wife is dying in bed, the husband goes out of his way to be with her and pray maybe. But Anse on the other hand has been with her, and pretended that he was sad, but in his mind, is glad that she is passing away. The fact that he had found another wife by the end of the story tells me that he has gotten over her. The biggest problem that Anse really has is his selfishness. He puts himself first over anything and everyone. He wants new teeth, but in order to get them, Addie must be dead. He must also steal money because he doesn’t want to earn any for himself. Since he didn’t work, the family lives in a lower status house, giving them all the reputation of being hillbillies. Unfortunately, Anse really doesn’t change throughout the novel. He starts off as selfish and lazy, and ends selfish and lazy. Not only that, he finds a new wife, and introduces her to the family. According to Anse’s mind, he deserves Heaven, but I don’t believe it will be easy for him to get there because of all the things he has done. The point of living is to do things for the common good, but that is not displayed in Anse. He does not live out his life, but somewhat lives out his life as “dead.” Being dead is not trying in life. Anse doesn’t try to do anything for others, but only himself. His view on working is going to come back to bite him. He may have a vision in his mind that he’s going to Heaven but in true reality, he will find out that it may take a
Addie causes all the painful actions around her family either directly or indirectly. Addie is foremost the prominent abuser of her upcoming death in As I Lay Dying. She predetermines her time to die, and she makes sure that the people in her family whom she dislikes must experience her wrath before she moves on to the next life. "Addie is the one who is dying, but she makes revenges run throughout the family and extend beyond" (Wadlington 35). Inflicting pain mostly on Anse, Addie enjoys herself. Anse, a lazy man, is forced by his wife to take her to Jefferson to be buried as her final request. Addie's revenge on Anse was payback for all the times when he just sat around while Addie, her children, and sometimes neighbors do all the hard work for him. Also "Addie reacts to Anse's arid conventionality by having a clandestine affair with minister Whitfield" (Wadlington 31). Addie also indirectly hurts one of her favorite sons, Cash. Cash is hurt indirectly when he helps ! his kinfolk carry his mother's coffin to Jefferson, where along the path, he breaks his leg while crossing a flooded river. Although Cash is one of Addie's favorites besides Jewel, Addie's cruel revenge carries over to Cash's broken leg, which later becomes infected. Besides her indirect action on Cash's leg, Cash is the most favorite of Addie. As Wadlington states, "He is very much his mother's son in expressing his feelings through physical action rather than through words by building a coffin for the mother he loves" (Wadlington 41).
... there is a direct correlation between Jewel's treatment of his horse and his ambitions. He is opposed to the family sitting by the bed and watching Addie die and cash sawing away at Anse' coffin. But at the same time he tells Darl to shut up when Darl raises an objection to the three dollar trip Addie tells them to make.
Addie is actually the perfect character to try and describe the lack or void of words and meanings. The very fact that she is dead and is talking about this void from the dead is important. In a way she is speaking from a void between life and death. Morna Flaum expresses this idea in her article, “Elucidating Addie Bundren in As I Lay Dying.” “Her condition of deadness, speaking from the void between is and not-is makes her the perfect vehicle for Faulkner to describe the indescribable, approach the unapproachable, express the inexpressible, as he so gracefully does, does-not. The placement of Addie’s chapter in the middle of her long journey from deathbed to grave is also significant.” Flaum goes on to say that this placement of Addie’s chapter
“As I Lay Dying, read as the dramatic confrontation of words and actions, presents Faulkner’s allegory of the limits of talent” (Jacobi). William Faulkner uses many different themes that make this novel a great book. Faulkner shows his talent by uses different scenarios, which makes the book not only comedic but informational on the human mind. As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner is a great book that illustrates great themes and examples. Faulkner illustrates different character and theme dynamics throughout the entire novel, which makes the book a humorous yet emotional roller coaster. Faulkner illustrates the sense of identity, alienation, and the results of physical and mental death to show what he thinks of the human mind.
An epic is a long narrative poem on a serious subject. It usually is about
Before Addie marries Anse Bundren (Pa), she is a school teacher, one that seemed to almost sadistically enjoy punishing the children saying that. When she punished them she basically made the children feel as alone as she feels thinking to herself “No...
The subject of death and dying can cause many controversies for health care providers. Not only can it cause legal issues for them, but it also brings about many ethical issues as well. Nearly every health care professional has experienced a situation dealing with death or dying. This tends to be a tough topic for many people, so health care professionals should take caution when handling these matters. Healthcare professionals not only deal with patient issues but also those of the family. Some of the controversies of death and dying many include; stages of death and dying, quality of life issues, use of medications and advanced directives.
Death is the one great certainty in life. Some of us will die in ways out of our control, and most of us will be unaware of the moment of death itself. Still, death and dying well can be approached in a healthy way. Understanding that people differ in how they think about death and dying, and respecting those differences, can promote a peaceful death and a healthy manner of dying.
An epic is an extended narrative poem in elevated or dignified language, celebrating the feats of a legendary or traditional hero. The main characteristics of an epic as a literary genre is that it is a long poem that tells a story, it contains an epic hero, its hero searches for immortality (but doesn't find it physically, only through fame), gods or other supernatural beings are interested and involved, and it delivers an historical message. The Epic of Gilgamesh is classified as an epic because it fits all the characteristics of an epic as a literary genre.
Death is something that causes fear in many peoples lives. People will typically try to avoid the conversation of death at all cost. The word itself tends to freak people out. The thought of death is far beyond any living person’s grasp. When people that are living think about the concept of death, their minds go to many different places. Death is a thing that causes pain in peoples lives, but can also be a blessing.
I was very excited to take Death and Dying as a college level course. Firstly, because I have always had a huge interest in death, but it coincides with a fear surrounding it. I love the opportunity to write this paper because I can delve into my own experiences and beliefs around death and dying and perhaps really establish a clear personal perspective and how I can relate to others in a professional setting.
The Theme of Death in Poetry Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson are two Modern American Poets who consistently wrote about the theme of death. While there are some comparisons between the two poets, when it comes to death as a theme, their writing styles were quite different. Robert Frost’s poem, “Home Burial,” and Emily Dickinson’s poems, “I felt a Funeral in my Brain,” and “I died for Beauty,” are three poems concerning death. While the theme is constant there are differences as well as similarities between the poets and their poems. The obvious comparison between the three poems is the theme of death.
Death is one of the hardest things to over come; while others have developed paganism for death it’s ultimately the scariest thing to face in life. Losing a best friend, a family member, or the love of your life. Therefore the death of someone special is definitely the hardest thing to face. Many people believe when someone dies, they’re sleeping, and they wake up when Jesus comes again and brings you to heaven with him, this is called Christianity, however, Buddhism believe when the body dies it disappears, but the mind goes on, which means you have no after life to experience. I personally believe after you die, you will go to a very special place, with past family members who have passed away. I also believe if you don’t think there is a God you will go to