As I Lay Dying Heroism Research Paper

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William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying novel explores as well as calls into question the meaning of heroic actions. That all such actions are evident as heroic only from the outside. As I Lay Dying questions the value of heroism by showing how the Bundren’s heroic journey is actually committed in the service of the family’s self- interests. The Bundrens fulfill Addie’s desire to be buried in Jefferson under the guise of heroic including family duty, ultimately rendering the idea of heroism pointless or self-defeating. The novel provides an ironic twist to a hero's journey. In any heroic novel, there must be a hero or heroine, As I Lay Dying provides bounteous villains but not so many heroes. In the end of every heroic novel there must be a …show more content…
Jewel Bundren is the only character out of the whole family that didn’t want anything in return from the trip to Jefferson. That's why jewel is the only heroic individual throughout the entire novel. Although, at the very beginning he did seem very uncaring and selfish towards everyone even his horse though consequently because of how everyone else described him. In reality though he was a loner including a man of few words. He was a result of a revenge plot of Addie towards Anse, Addie had an affair with Mr. whitfield, the preacher. In consequence, of not being biologically part of the Bundren household he was isolated from everyone as well as his mother. “ it would just be me and her on a high hill and me rolling rocks down the hill at their faces, picking them up throwing them down the hill, faces and teeth and by all god until she was quiet and not that goddamn adze going one lick less. One lick less and would be quiet (section 4)”. Though, he fiercely loves his mother furthermore loves her so strongly and so violently that he acts as he does. Jewel only erudite how to express love and affection through violence. “ ‘ nothing,’ she said. He is my cross and he will be my salvation. He will save me from, the water and from the fire. Even though i have laid down my life, he will save me’(section 40)”. Jewel’s big heroic act plus how he proves to his mother that he loves her was …show more content…
Addie worked as a school teacher and hated children so she loved when they did something bad so she could hit them senseless. “ I would look forward to the times when they faulted, so I could whip them(section 40)”. She also hated her children so much because they had violated her alones. In addition to hating her children she hated Anse even more which is why she had an affair with whitfield. Though she did repay Anse back by giving him three more children. All together she resented them so much she asked to be buried in Jefferson with her own family, who she hated, just to spite them all because she knew it would be hard for them and that's what she wanted to still cause them trouble after she was already gone. On the other hand, Anse a hypocritical man, who used his wife’s death to accomplish his selfish motives. His motives were to get sized for new teeth ,and, if possible find a new wife , which he did. Anse is always the bystander, never taking action in anything unless it involves him. He ends up standing between his children and their various dreams such as: Jewel and his horse, Dewey Dell and her abortion, and cash and his graphophone. Anse does this by trading Jewel’s horse without his permission, taking Dewey Dell's money, and also taking Cash’s money. Though Anse hit rock-bottom on a sinister level when he allowed Darl to be sent to an insane asylum because he does not

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