Seminar in
American Literature
RESOURCES


  
William Faulkner,
As I Lay Dying            

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
(Vintage Reading Group Center; mirror site here)

CLASSICNOTE on As I Lay Dying (summary, analysis, discussion)

Commentary on As I Lay Dying (William Faulkner on the Web)

Life of William Faulkner

SPARK NOTES STUDY QUESTIONS on As I Lay Dying

"What's in a Name?  Etymology and As I Lay Dying"
(Faye Friesen and Charles Peek)

"Why I Hope There Will Never Be a Bundren Family Christmas Special"
(Wiley Kestner)

William Faulkner (Mississippi Writers Page)


                                                                                          

Aimée C. Taylor
English 7758
Dr. Nordquist
July 10, 2002

Faulkner, William. As I Lay Dying. New York: Vintage, 1990. 

She’s Better Off Dead, and So Is the Fish

     In an O Brother, Where Art Thou? misadventure fashion, Faulkner shows us the

bumbling Bundren clan, sadly perhaps at its best, persevering despite logic, weather, and

the rotting, stinking corpse of Momma Addie. As they travel to Jefferson to fulfill

Addie’s dying wish, they serve as the stereotypical backwoods people who are too stupid

to even recognize the absurdity of the journey. Thus, the novel certainly criticizes the

morals of the South, but it does so by offering tragically realistic characterizations in

conjunction with a unique narrative approach. Faulkner gives the premier performance

that every other author attempts to recreate but always falls short. He offers the Southern

grotesque version of stream of consciousness from EVERYONE’S perspective! The

reader at first feels guilty for laughing at the horrible images portrayed, holes being

drilled into Addie’ dead face, however, one quickly realizes that humor is essential to

fully appreciating the social and educational isolation of these poor fools, literally.

How does the novel criticize the South?

As I Lay Dying fulfills every stereotype by epitomizing all aspects of country life and

people, primarily via a negative stance. Beginning with setting and moving to plain

ethics, Faulkner details daily life-agriculture, buildings, livestock, religion, cooking, and

neighbors, mostly with good intentions (from the neighbors that is). More importantly,

the significance of such items to the Bundrens is conveyed through each character’s

narration. The reasons such aspects are considered negative are numerous.

     First, each child works tediously at different assigned manual labor chores because

their father is lazy and manipulative and their mother is dying. Even as Addie withers

away, Anse cannot lift a finger (successfully) to ease anyone’s burden-nice play with the

last name. The children do not enjoy chores, except Cash who is “a good carpenter” (4),

but they endure them because chores are absolutely necessary to maintain life on the

farm. They do not have money to pay others and must work themselves. Ironically,

nothing and no one can help Addie. It is as if living among these idiots has drained the

life right out of her.

     The entire concept of manual labor implies that no thought is involved, required.

Faulkner confirms this through the wandering inner thoughts of each. Instead of focusing

on the chores at hand, they are free to daydream. They can mechanically complete chores

with little or no mental effort. Again, the only exception is probably Cash who

painstakingly plans every pass over the wood as he builds his mother’s coffin. Darl also

is sidetracked with huge questions that constantly distract and dismay him. Whether

dreaming about a fish, how to get rid of a baby, or imagining how you will look in your

new teeth, your true intelligence and talents will shine through.

     In addition, the novel accurately portrays the hypocrisy of religion, especially in the

South. The characters curse God for their misery and pray to him to make it all better.

Addie has an affair with the preacher Whitfield who actually performs her funeral service

later. Dewey Dell is the pregnant daughter trying desperately to rid herself of this

unwanted pregnancy, while also trying to make sense out of her own future. Cora is

perhaps the only one who does not “use the Lord’s name in vain,” but it is more out of

drilled habit than sincere belief. Regular church visits, Bible recitations and singing

hymns cannot save such hypocritical people.

     This controversy is expressed nicely at the end of one of Dewey Dell’s chapters. She

ends trying to convince herself that if there were a God she would believe in him because

he would help her with all of her problems. She is also coming to terms with her mother’s

death and what it means for her to stay behind and care for her distorted family. She

questions, pleads and states, “I believe in God, God. God, I believe in God” (122). She

speaks directly to God uncertain if he is listening. Selfish reliance of God and on others

creates a powerful link to the fifty something chapters of inner thoughts and turmoils.

The road to “New Hope”(120), completing tasks “Fore God” (230), and even the

blaspheming unite this family in their one quest-bury Addie.

Why are the characters realistic/believable?

     The characters are believable because they are flawed. They each have idiosyncrasies

and none of them is very smart. Several of the characters appear in name in other

Faulkner works, and others closely resemble personalities and quirks. Faulkner has

actually created his own cast of stock characters to refer to when writing. In particular, he

draws from The Sound and the Fury. For instance, Dewey Dell is Cassy with less class

and hopes of a happy future. Surrounded by men, overwhelmed with a growing sense of

sexuality, even tempted by ideas of incest, each is doomed. The female daughter suffers

mainly because of a detached mother, also present in both novels.

     While Benjy was the family dummy, Vardaman is the roaming idiot in the Bundren

family. He desperately tries to make sense out of the chaos around him, but his simple

mind can only focus on one tragedy at a time; thus, “My mother is a fish” (84) is a

remarkable assessment of his life. He is subjected to mental and physical abuse but never

to the extent that Benjy had to suffer. What is important about this stock character is the

message he sends to outsiders: I am a product of my environment-poverty, illiteracy,

ignorance; and I am the consequence of my heredity- stupidity, laziness, and

hopelessness.

     While Quentin searches for a purpose in life planning his own suicide, Darl must

answer his probing questions too: “What is the meaning of life? Why am I here? Why am

I surrounded by people I can only barely tolerate? If there is a God, why has he

condemned me to this existence?” Such normal and insightful questions are impressive as

are Darl’s concerns for others. He actually ponders, reflects, contemplates. But such a

character cannot exist for long in this world without becoming part of the ugly violence.

Darl is the key to answering not only his own questions but the reader’s questions as

well. His insights and observations provide vital information, linking what otherwise

would be senseless ramblings into a chronological order of pain and loss.

     Anse is the physically present but basically worthless father. He always puts himself

forward, avoiding all exertion. He defies the stereotype of the strong laborer providing

for his family. He takes no pride in work because he never works. He accepts his children

because they are there and can do things for him. He accepts the charity of neighbors and

no longer asks for help but expects it from all directions. He accepts his life because he is

too lazy to change it. Again, what at first seems pathetic is actually humorous. Faulkner

creates a new reality by playing up some aspects of southern life while distorting specific

aspects recognized by all.

How is Faulkner’s narrative technique different from others? Why does it work?

     First, Faulkner’s technique is virtually unique. Yes, he does utilize stream of

consciousness, but he does so with every character. The chapters, if you want to call them

that, are unorganized, illogical, and weak if the reader expects them to flow like a

“normal” novel. Faulkner forces the reader to do the real work. It is as if Faulkner has

removed himself completely as the author. He has created characters whom he allows to

tell their own stories. The reader must piece the varying perspectives together in order to

fully grasp the situation. The repetition, the altering of observations, the changing of

dialogue, and especially the insight into each character’s beliefs and feelings enhance the

awkwardness of the Bundren’s but also their strange sense of sincerity, family obligation,

and right to go on.  

     The journey to bury Addie is another uniting factor of the novel. The novel does have

that basic purpose in addition to others. Yet, continuity also exists in the narration. By

slightly changing the narration to make each chapter truly representative of the identified

character, Faulkner makes each section plausible, honest, true to character. However, he

does not do so drastically. For instance, he maintains the same stream of consciousness

perspective no matter who is sharing. He alters the visions, perceptions, ideas but not the

framework, the concept, the uniting force. With the objectivity of outsiders scattered

throughout, he also creates a sense of credibility and reliability. The reader believes

because even the “normal” people describe the tragic Bundren family road trip.

     Sadly, the characters are realistic because we have seen them around us. We have

come into contact with at least one of the Bundrens, and if you shop at Wal-Mart, you

have seen the whole gang. Are we to pity them? Do we shy away from them? Do we

attempt to help them? It depends on how brave you are and how dirty they are that day.

The real questions that Faulkner poses are: How do you avoid being one of them? If you

already are, how do you escape? No, seriously, Faulkner wants each reader to examine

his/her own life. Are you a product of your environment/heredity? Do you defy

stereotypes? Do you aspire to be something more? What are you willing to do? Why?

Teaching Ideas:

Students must be able to piece this novel together to catch the “good stuff”. Allow them

to create and maintain a time line, marking the major events of the death and journey.

Then, have them identify the key points each character makes about the events, looking

closely at both differences and similarities. Then, allow them to appreciate the humor in

the novel. It is perfectly acceptable to laugh at the gruesome stench that is still lovingly

called Addie. 

Why can violence be called a uniting force of the novel?

If Addie’s childhood was just as miserable as her last years, why does she want to

be buried in Jefferson?

Is Dewey Dell naïve, stupid, or a flirt? Why? How?

Why does Faulkner include Vardaman? What does he add to the novel? Is he an

essential character?

Why would a southerner like Faulkner “make fun of ” the South? As a southerner,

are you offended? Why or why not?

Imagine yourself as a news reporter in Jefferson. Describe the sights, sounds,

smells, etc. as the Bundrens roll into town.

Using lyrics from country music, string them together to create “The Ballad of the

Bundrens”.