Addie Bundren Essay

and human personality intertwine themselves into a text where it is not the plot that drives the narrative, but it is the characters that drive the narrative. As I Lay Dying is a fictional novel by William Faulkner that depicts the odyssey of the Bundren family whose matriarch’s death propels them to transport her body to her final resting place. From the viewpoint of fifteen characters, As I Lay Dying attempts to humanize the personas by dedicating several chapters to the viewpoints of the novel’s

A morally ambiguous character in As I Lay Dying is Anse Bundren. Anse Bundren’s dedication and determination to fulfil his wife’s wish counterpoises the fact that he is self-centered and neglectful towards others. With his two biggest goals in mind, burying his wife and getting a new set of teeth, Anse Bundren demonstrates the theme of self-interest vs. heroic actions. Most of the members of the Bundren family have goals at the end of their journey to Jefferson, but Anse’s two goals are both the

physical-barrier for the Bundren family. As the Bundrens, and some of their neighbors, are traveling to bury Addie, they are delayed by rainfall that has made “the river ... too high to get across” (111). By including this obstacle, Faulkner is able to create a situation in which more characters are introduced (e.g. Samson, Gillespie, Armstid, etc.) and events are encouraged - if not for the river: Jewel would have never needed to lift the wagon from the river, the Bundrens would have gotten to Jefferson

capable of deciphering all of the novel’s layers, but I will make an attempt to understand a particular phrasing which I believe to be rather significant, that is, the title. At first the words of the title, “As I Lay Dying”, seem to be spoken by Addie Bundren, as she is the only character who actually dies during the span of the novel. But Addie’s death occurs well before the halfway point has been reached, so she can’t be the speaker or, at least, she can not be the only speaker. The first person narration

exception to his signature style. This book sets forth the death of Addie Bundren, her family’s journey through Yoknapatawpha County to bury her with her relatives in Jefferson, Mississippi, and examines each character in depth from a variety of perspectives. While this journey wreaks havoc among members of the family, As I Lay Dying serves as a dark reminder that life is to be lived and that happiness is within reach. Addie Bundren, the novel’s seminal character, lived a sad life. She recalls

Anse is so self-absorbed that he has no clue that Addie had an affair or that Jewel is not is son. Anse is so useless and selfish he is almost dismissed as an individual. Anse views the flood and the fire as more crosses to bear before he can get his new teeth. He has no concern or regard with what the journey is doing to his children. His selfishness is also expressed when he says, “ I don’t, won’t begrudge her.” (Faulkner 56). Anse forgives Addie for all the problems that she caused throughout the

Analysis As I Lay Dying Text-to-World People say that “no one is perfect.” In the book As I, Lay Dying by William Faulkner is about the Bundren family making Addie Bundren wish come true by burying her besides her family in Jefferson, Mississippi. Even though they did what they were told for their mother, they didn't really go for that reason. For instance, Anse Bundren going to Jefferson to but a new set of teeth was one of the reasons they went to Jefferson. This question self-interest vs. heroism

Vernon Tull is a fairly wealthy countryman who is friends with the Bundrens, often hiring the older boys to do odd jobs for him. He is characterized as a helpful, kind man. Some characters think Tull is very benevolent, always offering help to the family and assisting them whenever they are in trouble, or in a state of distress. The family, however, is not always appreciative, as sometimes the family refuses to acknowledge their need for succor. Tull knows the family really does need the assistance

In William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, the Bundren family embarks on a journey to lay their dead wife and mother, Addie, to rest in a coffin built by one of their own. The family members each have obstacles they face in addition to grieving for their lost loved one, some physical, some mental, some more serious than others. However, could it be possible that Addie’s death has brought the family closer in the corpse’s journey to her resting place? The journey to Jefferson latched on more obstacles

not stereotypical. Addie and Anse’s only daughter, Dewey Dell, is pregnant. She has to endure through pregnancy. Even though she thinks she got an abortion, readers know that what was in the pills she received would not cause her child to die (248). Having a child out of wedlock is looked down on. The fact that she is pregnant and not married goes against the stereotypical picture of a family. Dewey Dell’s situation sounds fairly similar to Jewel’s background story. Addie had an affair, not