An Analysis of Anse in "As I Lay Dying"

It is no secret that Anse, the patriarch of the Bundren family, is hated by most everyone the reader encounters in As I Lay Dying. Even as a reader I think it is normal to want to hate Anse. He contributes almost nothing to the family unit and seems to be only acting out of self-interest in everything he is a part of. Not only that, but he is incredibly lazy, incessantly rubbing his knees throughout the novel and claiming "...that if he ever sweats, he will die." Another one of Anse's annoying traits is that he is not a religious man, but whenever something arises that he doesn't want to deal with, he uses God to justify why he shouldn't do it. You can almost guarantee that Anse will say "Oh God would have wanted it that way" or "It is God's will, not ours", but only if it betters his own interests. His blaming of God is most ridiculous, to the point of being laughable, when Addie is on her death bed. Anse refuses to call the doctor, as he doesn't wish to spend the money, and claims that "if God wants her to die, then so be it." Are you kidding me?! Your wife is on her death bed and you refuse to spend a few dollars to possibly save her because "it's God's will"? That is absolutely ludicrous. Anse's reasoning for wanting to go to Jefferson are also worth questioning: although he claims that he wishes to bury Addie there out of respect for her wish to be buried with her family, it is no surprise that as soon as he gets there he finds a new wife and also gets new fake teeth. It makes the reader wonder whether Anse really wanted to respect Addie's posthumous wishes or if he solely wanted to go to Jefferson to obtain a new wife and new teeth. Anse's character proves to be the least ethical and especially the least likable in As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. Anse's selfishness and hypocrisy make his character out to be a horrible father, husband, and person in general. No wonder your family hates you, Anse.

An Analysis of Darl in The Final Chapters of "As I Lay Dying"

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner concludes in the same way that a flaming car flies off a bridge: chaos and bewilderment. The Bundren's family hectic odyssey to Jefferson comes to a dramatic end in the final chapters of the novel. Faulkner's ending takes the reader on a wild ride, especially when considering Darl's final moments on centerstage of Faulkner's thrill ride.

Perhaps one of the most notable events of the final chapters of As I Lay Dying was when Darl burned down the barn with Addie's coffin inside. Although the motive is never made clear as to why he committed this act of arson, I think there are a few possible reasons. I think it is possible that Darl's ability to "see the future" caused him to set fire to the barn. He may have known prior to them arriving in Jefferson that nothing good would happen to the Bundren family in the city. Darl may have foreseen Dewey Dell getting raped or Pa marrying another woman. Another possibility is alluded to in the previous chapter, narrated by Vardaman. Darl claims that he can hear Addie speaking to them and upon Vardaman asking what she is saying, Darl remarks, "She wants Him to hide her away from the sight of man." (pg.215). It is clear from this conversation that Darl is growing tired of his family and also feels as if Ma would be more content to be burned in a barn than to continue to be mistreated by the family. Darl's plan to burn Ma's coffin does not succeed however, as Jewel runs into the flaming barn and rescues the coffin. Darl is then seen lying on top off the coffin and weeping, as he knows the mistreatment of his mother's corpse will not come to an end anytime soon.

Another bewildering development in the tale of Darl is how he is sentenced to a mental institution as a result of the arson. The man who owned the barn, Gillespie, planned to sue the Bundrens for the arson unless Darl was sent to a mental ward. In Jackson, men come to collect Darl to take him to the mental ward. He resists and attempts to get away but is eventually restrained. It is at this point in the novel that the reader realizes that Darl being sent to the mental institution may be justified. "He couldn't hardly say it for laughing. He sat on the ground and us watching him, laughing and laughing." (pg. 238). At a disturbing moment in Darl's life, he simply breaks out into uncontrollable laughter, demonstrating a complete transition from the Darl at the beginning of As I Lay Dying.

Darl, the main character of As I Lay Dying, undergoes a noticeable transition from the beginning of the novel to the end. The increased exposure to his family's antics seemed to drive him insane on the journey to Jefferson. Darl always seemed to be a bit "on the outside" of his family and his commission the mental award solidified that notion. But maybe his family didn't see as him insane as the reader perceives him to be. Cash remarks, "It's like there was a fellow in every man that's done a-past the sanity or the insanity, that watches the sane and the insane doings of that man with the same horror and the same astonishment." (pg.238). This philosophical remark from Cash leaves the reader with a thought-provoking question: are we all insane at some point in our lives?

Role of Family in "As I Lay Dying"

Family plays a central role in William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying, but not in the form that most readers would expect. When we think of family, what do we think of? Probably warm scenes, full of love and joy- Christmas, family dinners, birthday celebrations. So that is why when I began reading As I Lay Dying, it was a slap in the face when it comes to family values and expected family relations. It seems as if all of the family members hate each other or as if everyone if hiding something from one another; there is a serious lack of familial ties and affection. You would think that an event such as the death of a mother would bring a family closer, but instead it seems to do the opposite. It is evident from the first "chapter" that family members dislike each other as Darl and Jewel walk independently from each other, avoiding walking together like any other brothers would. This family hatred appears again later in a "chapter" in which Jewel goes off on a rant about Cash, disliking him because people like him and he is a successful carpenter. In any other family, a brother would be proud to see their brother doing well in life and being well-received by people. 

To anyone who has grown up in a traditional nuclear family, it is very strange to see how the Bundren family interacts with one another on a daily basis. I am eager to see how the Bundren family interacts during the long journey to Jefferson to bury Addie. Although I would like to be optimistic, I firmly believe that this trip will only worsen family relations as they encounter challenges. I think that the journey will only exacerbate familial relations and that secrets and other hidden truths will come out during this trip, leading to an even greater amount of tension. The fact that the novel offers the reader a full view of each protagonist's interior monologues will give us a "first row seat" to the action that is sure to come. 

Role of Geography on "As I Lay Dying"

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner takes place in the deep American South. More specifically, in Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, a fictional place created by Faulkner. Although the county is a fictional place, it accurately embodies and depicts the deep American South and its idiosyncrasies.

Yoknapatawpha County is a stereotypical Southern town with a deeply-engrained social hierarchy. The Bundrens belong to the lower class, comprised of poor families who rely primarily on farming for income. Their accents and poor grammar are a dead-giveaway that they lack formal education and likely have farmed throughout their entire lives. The other class spoken of in As I Lay Dying is that of the upper class, who lives in the main town. The only experience we have had with the social elites at this point is when Cora bakes cakes for one of their parties, but then the woman changes her mind at the last minute and decides not to buy them. Although we haven't seen much interaction besides this in the novel, I think it is evident that Faulkner is trying to paint the upper class in a negative light, while romanticizing the lives of the lower class to make the reader side with the latter.

Another important role that the geography has is that it drives the plot forward. The entire plot revolves around preparing and then carrying Addie's body to the town of Jefferson, where she can be buried with her family. The severe environment and the poor transportation by the Bundrens makes this a difficult odyssey. Because of the rain, flooding destroys the bridges, making it difficult for the family to make their way to Jefferson, especially when transporting a corpse.

Because the American South faltered behind its Northern brethren in terms of progression, it creates a difficult environment for the Bundrens to live and travel through. The social hierarchy and their respective position in it are sure to hinder the Bundrens ability to get ahead in life. Perhaps more importantly, the lack of the bridges as a result of the flooding and the poor Southern infrastructure makes their journey to transport their dead mother incredibly difficult. The accurate representation of Southern life via Yoknapatawpha county in As I Lay Dying is central to the plot of the novel, but also creates difficulties for the Bundred family as they embark on their solemn journey.