Stream Of Consciousness In William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying

The Modern Period was a time of great experimentalism, popular authors began to subvert the tropes of past renowned authors, and there was a new sense of what literature could be. New narrative techniques were being used by many, and one of the most notable was the Stream of Consciousness narrative, where the author would translate their protagonists thoughts directly, rather than giving the audience an omniscient narrator. This strategy was a tool that enabled an entirely different form of storytelling, and it was used by many popular writers at the time. It is worth noting, however, that while this technique was used by many, it was used for different purposes. Those that utilized the stream of consciousness narrative best, were those that …show more content…
In Faulkner’s novel As I Lay Dying the story is told by more than one narrator, and illustrates the challenges of the Bundren family as they head to Jefferson to bury the matriarch of the family, Addie Bundren. By having multiple perspectives, Faulkner is able to present a rounded view of his characters to his readers, in addition, using stream of consciousness provides a way for us to gain necessary insight on what each Bundren is thinking. An instance of this that is particularly important to the novel, are the views of Jewell, (The middle child of the family) contrasted with how Jewell truly is. The gossipy neighbor of the Bundrens, Cora Tull, believes that Jewell did not care about his mother’s passing, and remarks that “Jewell, the one she labored so to bear and coddled and petted so and him flinging tantrums or sulking spells, inventing devilment to devil her until I would have frailed him time and time. Not him to miss a chance to make that extra three dollars at the price of a mother’s goodbye kiss” (Pg 21-22). Additionally, Jewell’s father Anse criticizes Jewell’s treatment of his mother “You got no affection nor gentleness for [Addie]. You never had”(Pg19). Yet, Faulkner makes it clear through his use of stream of consciousness that Jewell truly does care for Addie, perhaps more than any of the others even. While Addie is dying, Jewell loudly protests the extensive loudness of the rest of the family; harshly criticizing his brother Cash for making a coffin for Addie while she is dying (Pg19), and the rest of the family for “sitting there, like buzzards”(Pg15). Through this, Faulkner establishes Jewell as fiercely protective and loyal to his mother, though others may not see