William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying is an absurdist comedy that follows the Bundren family on their journey to the fictional town of Jefferson, Mississippi to bury the deceased matriarch of the family, Addie. Addie’s husband, Anse, and their five children of varying ages endure a week long journey from their quiet farm to Jefferson to fulfill Addie’s dying wish of being buried alongside her family in town; however, each character has his or her own personal motive for going on the trip. The book is told through the differing perspectives of fifteen individual narrators, the most common of which is Addie’s second oldest son, Darl. Several characters question the sanity of Darl Bundren, and although Darl is sent to an asylum for burning down Gillespie’s …show more content…
While the other narrators are only able to describe what they see directly, Darl is able to give an accurate description of what he witnesses and give the reader a reliable interpretation of said descriptions in order to make them more comprehensible. Darl’s ability to interpret what he sees clearly shows his understanding of the situation is far more advanced than that of the other characters. Darl is often able to recognize the absurdity of his family’s behavior, and because of this his actions are often seen as inappropriate by characters who cannot clearly discern the ludicrousness of the Bundren family. Anse, Darl’s father, says “….we hadn’t no more than passed Tull’s lane when Darl begun to laugh. Setting back there on the plank seat with Cash, with his dead ma laying in her coffin at his feet, laughing” (Faulkner 105). Darl laughs in response to witnessing his brother, Jewel, riding a horse directly in opposition to the instructions of Anse, who wanted Jewel to ride in the wagon with the rest of the family. The inability of the other members of the Bundren family to recognize the illogicality of Jewel’s actions led to a misinterpretation of Darl’s response. Darl’s ability to critically analyze and recognize the ludicrousness of the situations he is placed in can be further explored in order to prove his …show more content…
In one of Darl’s sections, he witnesses the wreck of the wagon into the river. Darl says, “Between two hills I see the mules once more. They roll up out of the water in succession, turning completely over, their legs stiffly extended as when they had lost contact with the earth” (Faulkner 149). The wagon accident was caused by Anse’s impatience to get to town so that he could purchase a set of false teeth, as well as Cash’s desire to get to Jefferson in order to display his carpentry work. Darl is able to recognize the selfish motives of his family. In Moseley’s section, Dewey Dell says “He told me I could get something at the drug store. He said they might not want to sell it to me, but if I had ten dollars and told them I wouldn’t never tell nobody…” (Faulkner 202). Dewey Dell wants to go into town in order to procure an abortion, which she believes she can receive at a drug store in Jefferson. Darl knows about Dewey Dell’s pregnancy; therefore, he is aware of her motive for accompanying the family to town. Darl’s ability to see the absurdity of his families actions allow him to recognize the danger of the situations caused by their self-interested purposes. The reason Darl burns Gillespie’s barn with his mother’s coffin inside isn’t because he is insane, but because he wants to put an end to the family’s journey. Darl is able to see that
Yoknapatawpha County is a fictional county made up by William Faulkner in which As I Lay Dying takes place in; this is now the third novel to take place here. As I Lay Dying was one of the last novels written in the 1920’s by William Faulkner and within fifty-nine chapters, this novel features a unique narration of fifteen different first person narrators. Each chapter is written from that particular character’s perspective telling their version of what is happening in the novel, making this not only an interesting take on narration but a compelling read as well. Faulkner uses the characters use of language to help us identify and see glimpses into the lives of the Bundren family; through this we can understand the revenge and secrets from within the characters that is blind to the most if not all-remaining characters within the novel.
In William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, Moseley provides the reader an escape from the delusional world of the Bundrens and a glimpse of society, as it should be. Appearing only once in the novel, the elderly pharmacist is essential in emphasizing Faulkner's theme of moral values over self-seeking voracity in that he defends what he knows is right at all costs. Moseley is introduced in the small town of Mottson, where Dewey Dell wanders into his drugstore store with ten dollars from Lafe, and the intention of eliminating "the female trouble." (200) After much confusion, it is made clear that Dewey Dell wants an abortion, treatment that Moseley repeatedly refuses, despite her persistency. Discouraged, Dewey Dell eventually leaves, after a stern lecture from Moseley and advice to take the money and buy a marriage license. Moseley's morals, contrasting to the other characters' in the novel, may provide support for Faulkner's religious beliefs while adding a sense of righteousness to a world of iniquity.
He is opposed to the family sitting by the bed and watching Addie die and cash sawing away at Anse's 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. Imagery is an integral part of any narrative. The multiple narratives and cross observations made in As I Lay Dying are complex and they consist of many spectrums. Imagery alone can be sufficient to give the reader a rich sense of emotion, but when it symbolizes the themes of the story and reflects on the characteristics of the narrator, it is truly a masterpiece.
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.
Toni Morrison’s Beloved tells a story of a loving mother and ex-slave who takes drastic measures to protect her children which later affect her entire life. In contrast, William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying goes through the life of the Bundren’s after their mother passes away and their journey to get her coffin to Jefferson. The bond between a mother and her children is chronicled in these novels. Both Faulkner and Morrison explain how the influence of a mother can affect how a child grows and matures through her love and actions.
One of the main themes in As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner is the concept of isolation and loneliness of not just the characters in the book, but humanity itself. Each character is essentially isolated from all the others, as the plot is told through each of the characters’ perspectives through stream of consciousness. As a result of Faulkner’s use of multiple narratives, the reader does not attain an objective third person viewpoint of everything that occurs. The closest the reader gets to an omniscient narrator is Darl Bundren as he is able to relate events that occur while not having been present at the time. Although the Bundrens live together as well as make the journey to Jefferson, it is through their inherent isolation and loneliness that they cannot effectively communicate with each other which ultimately leads to Darl’s fateful actions.
In his novel, As I Lay Dying, Faulkner embodies the ideal tragic hero through Darl, the central protagonist and narrator. Throughout the story, the characters are constantly confronted by misfortune and struggle; the trek to Jefferson for the Bundren family is rife with mistakes and misjudgements. Despite Darl’s determination to free his family from this struggle, his dedication to his family leads to nothing but a fruitless endeavor. Furthermore, his actions ultimately result in his mental downfall. Darl functions as one of the main instruments of the suffering of his family members.
For instance, Anse’s laziness manifests in just the way Darl describes him; he doesn’t ever seem to sweat, and this seems to encompass his entire character. Anse’s idleness stretches outside of just working and into his mannerisms as a father. If Anse was truly a good fatherly man then it would be apparent through his own children - it’s not. That much is obvious through the way the children each seem removed from each other, through Darl’s relentless cruel teasing and their overall apathy toward one another. After all, at the end of the novel the children hardly raise a protest at the idea of Darl going to an insane asylum, watching indifferently from behind half-eaten bananas. What really makes Anse such a horrid character is his own hypocrisy. He constantly calls out the family for disrespecting Addie when he is really the one who disrespects her. This irony continues when he justifies everything he does as being ordained by God when all evidence points to the contrary. When Cash breaks his leg Anse would rather dump cement onto it than buy a new one, all the while lamenting his own bad luck and the fact that God would have this all happen to him. Also, the fact that each of the children keep such serious secrets draws attention to the fact that they hold no trust to each other, splintering apart without their mother because,
In “As I Lay Dying”, Faulkner explores a dysfunctional Bundren family by surveying the lives of the family members as Addie, the mother of the family, lay dying. The characters of the book deal with Addie’s waning health and her eventual death in their own specific ways. While Vardaman compares his dead mother to a dead fish he has killed earlier, Cash tries to build the perfect coffin for his mother. Admist all this, the readers are introduced to a character so eccentric and singular named Darl. Darl, although seemingly indifferent and phlegmatic towards his mother’s death, is most affected and concerned by his mother’s death and loves his mother more than any other characters in the novel. Because he is the one who truly loves Addie, he seems
She remembers a nightmare where she did not know where or who or what she was, nor what was happening. “Do you know she is going to die, Jewel?” Darl said. “It takes two people to make you, and one people to die.” I said to Dewey Dell: “You want her to die so you can get to town: is that it?”
In As I Lay Dying the Bundren family faces many hardships dealing with death and physical nature. Nature plays a major role in moving Faulkner’s story. Nature takes a toll on the family in their time of despair of losing a loved one. They are challenged by human nature and the nature of the elements. Throughout the story the family overcomes the human nature of emotions and the nature of the weather. They face nature in the most peculiar ways, like a flood that keeps them from crossing, the decaying body of Addie, and how they all grieve over the death of Addie; Dewey Dell said, “I heard that my mother is dead. I wish I had time to let her die. I wish I had time to wish I had” (Faulkner 110). The forces of nature compete with the Burden family.
...a good result. However, Dewey Dell shows signs of motherly actions when she "... tears a piece of paper from the package and wipes the cement from the top of it as it drips from Cash's leg" (Faulkner 208). Dewey Dell shows a surprising amount of maternal instinct when she finds out Vardaman saw Darl light the Gillespie's barn on fire. Vardaman was just being the typical, curious boy when he gained knowledge of Darl's wrongdoings. In a protective manner, Dewey Dell warned Vardaman as he explains "... I saw something that Dewey Dell says I mustn't tell nobody" (Faulkner 225). Another example of Dewey Dell assuming a protective, motherly role occurs when Jewel and a townsman have an altercation. Dewey Dell attempts to shield Jewel from the dispute. All of these examples along the Bundren's journey depict Dewey Dell maturing and evolving into a motherly figure.
Darl Darl, the second child of Anse and Addie Bundren is the most prolific voice in the novel As I Lay Dying, by William Faulkner. Darl Bundren, the next eldest of the Bundren children, delivers the largest number of interior monologues in the novel. An extremely sensitive and articulate young man, he is heartbroken by the death of his mother and the plight of his family's burial journey. Darl seemed to possess a gift of clairvoyance, which allowed him to narrate; for instance, the scene of Addie's death. Even though he and Jewel were away at the time.
Many mothers, regardless of age or situation, share sympathetic life ideals. They all share the common goal of raising their children wholesome; they want to create an environment of love, nurture, and support for their children as well. A mother’s effort to implant good values in her children is perpetual; they remain optimistic and hope that their children would eventually become prosperous. However, some women were not fit to be mothers. Thus, two different roles of a mother are portrayed in As I Lay Dying written by William Faulkner. Faulkner uses the literary technique of first person narrative with alternating perspectives. By doing so, Faulkner adds authenticity and the ability to relate (for some) to the two characters Addie Bundren and Cora Tull. The first person narrative acts as an important literary technique because it allows the reader to experience the opposing views of Addie and Cora; they are both mothers who act as foils to each other because of their diverse opinions and outlooks on motherhood, religion and life.