In the novel “As I Lay Dying”, by author William Faulkner, each character possesses a vital role. The majority of the actions revolve around a single character, Addie Bundren. Addie, who is undoubtedly the main character, is a mother and a wife. Addie is a mother to her five children; Cash, Dewey Dell, Darl, Jewel and Vardaman. She is also wife to Anse Bundren. Although she died fairly early into the novel, Addie’s relevance to the plot remains. Initially in the introduction of the novel, Mrs. Bundren is ill. As she is dying, she is dictating orders to her family. These dictations are all to achieve the wish of Addie. Throughout the novel her children and husband endure in numerous tasks to grant Addie’s wish. Addie’s ultimate wish she hopes
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This wish is now left in the hands of her family due to her death. Shortly into the novel we learn about Addie and her characteristic through the monologues of other characters. One of the characters, Cora Tull describes Addie as “…a lonely woman, lonely with her pride, trying to make folks believe different, hiding the fact that they suffered her, because she was not cold in the coffin before they were carting her 40 miles away to bury her, flouting the will of God to do it. Refusing to let her lie in the same earth with those Bundrens.” (Faulkner 23) This portrays Addie as shallow, selfish and cold hearted. Another one of Cora’s quotes says “A woman’s place is with her husband and children, alive or dead.” (Faulkner 23) This quote suggests how selfish Addie is for wanting to leave her children and her husband, who are after all, are granting her wish to be buried with someone else rather than themselves. In Addie’s monologue, it suggests that she is ready to die. She states that she “…Gave Anse Dewey Dell to negative …show more content…
The perspective alters as each character tells their fragment of the story. As the novel embarks, the wife and mother of the Bundren family, Addie is gravely ill. Preceding her death bed, she had formulated a request to be buried 40 miles away from the town of Yoknapatawpha, and in a town named Jefferson. Reason being, she wanted to be buried with her blood relatives, or blood family. However each of the family members has their own reason to take upon this journey to Jefferson. The father and husband, Anse, is secretly hoping he will find a new wife and get his new teeth. The only daughter, Dewey Dell is seeking an abortion. As Addie lies on her death bed, she watches as her son, Cash, who is a talented carpenter, constructs her coffin. Not long after, she passes away. The death is traumatic to all family members and friends, but exceedingly traumatic to the two sons, Darl and Jewel, who struggle with mental issues. To grant Addie’s wish, the Bundren family sets off on a journey to Jefferson. Along the way, they discovered that the path they were taking, a bridge had washed out. This is just only one of the harsh conditions they endured. While deciding how to get around, they were forced to turn around and cross a shallower part. As they were crossing, the coffin was knocked out of the wagon. The mules they had for carrying and traveling drowned in the water. Cash also
This wish is now left in the hands of her family due to her death. Shortly into the novel we learn about Addie and her characteristic through the monologues of other characters. One of the characters, Cora Tull describes Addie as “…a lonely woman, lonely with her pride, trying to make folks believe different, hiding the fact that they suffered her, because she was not cold in the coffin before they were carting her 40 miles away to bury her, flouting the will of God to do it. Refusing to let her lie in the same earth with those Bundrens.” (Faulkner 23) This portrays Addie as shallow, selfish and cold hearted. Another one of Cora’s quotes says “A woman’s place is with her husband and children, alive or dead.” (Faulkner 23) This quote suggests how selfish Addie is for wanting to leave her children and her husband, who are after all, are granting her wish to be buried with someone else rather than themselves. In Addie’s monologue, it suggests that she is ready to die. She states that she “…Gave Anse Dewey Dell to negative …show more content…
The perspective alters as each character tells their fragment of the story. As the novel embarks, the wife and mother of the Bundren family, Addie is gravely ill. Preceding her death bed, she had formulated a request to be buried 40 miles away from the town of Yoknapatawpha, and in a town named Jefferson. Reason being, she wanted to be buried with her blood relatives, or blood family. However each of the family members has their own reason to take upon this journey to Jefferson. The father and husband, Anse, is secretly hoping he will find a new wife and get his new teeth. The only daughter, Dewey Dell is seeking an abortion. As Addie lies on her death bed, she watches as her son, Cash, who is a talented carpenter, constructs her coffin. Not long after, she passes away. The death is traumatic to all family members and friends, but exceedingly traumatic to the two sons, Darl and Jewel, who struggle with mental issues. To grant Addie’s wish, the Bundren family sets off on a journey to Jefferson. Along the way, they discovered that the path they were taking, a bridge had washed out. This is just only one of the harsh conditions they endured. While deciding how to get around, they were forced to turn around and cross a shallower part. As they were crossing, the coffin was knocked out of the wagon. The mules they had for carrying and traveling drowned in the water. Cash also