Dewey Dell's Writing Style Analysis

Faulkner utilizes italics for many reasons. Primarily though, italics are used to reveal the inner thoughts that each character has and to put emphasis on certain parts in the novel. The use of italics concerning Darl portrays shifts in place and omniscient nature. Darl’s italics begin with his description of what occurs when they are fixing more load. Then, the shift occurs as he fixates on knowing what goes on at his family’s house. He reveals that Addie has died, even though he is not present at that moment, “Addie Bundren is dead” (Faulkner 52). He also knows what Dewey Dell is thinking and doing, “She will go where Peabody is…” (Faulkner 51). Darl reveals details of the death scene and how each member of the Bundren family deals with …show more content…
These thoughts are deeper than her dialogues and non italicized words. Faulkner presents to us that she wants to kill Darl, “I rose and I took out the knife… and I killed Darl” (121). To understand the reasons behind this revenge plot, Faulkner explains that Dewey Dell is extremely uneasy with her sexuality, explaining her nightmare “ All of them back under me again going on like a piece of cool silk dragging across my naked legs” (Faulkner 122). Her thought about this dream delves deeper into her thoughts and explains to us why she is presented in such an awkward way throughout the …show more content…
The way that Darl personifies the river stresses the very unfortunate fate that the Bundrens experience, “... troughs and hillocks … shoving us, teasing us…” (Faulkner 148). Darl presents a miserable scene through his stream of consciousness. In addition the lack of communication and separation between each member of the Bundren family is demonstrated as Darl is not aware of the resolved plan, “But I did not realize the reason for the rope…” (Faulkner 148). The readers can clearly see a strong disconnect through Darl’s italicized