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As I Lay Dying Book
Published in 1930, “As I Lay Dying” is a novel authored by the American writer William Faulkner. The book is famous for its varying chapter lengths – the shortest of which reads: “My mother is a fish.”
43 Questions
What is the Marxist reading of As I Lay Dying?
A Marxist reading of William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying" focuses on the economic struggles and class dynamics that shape the Bundren family's journey. The novel highlights the tensions between labor and capital, as the Bundrens navigate their poverty and the societal expectations surrounding them. The characters' motivations are often influenced by their socioeconomic status, revealing the impact of class on identity and relationships. Ultimately, the narrative underscores the alienation and desperation faced by those in lower classes within a capitalist society.
Why does whitfield not reveal his sin to anse?
Whitfield does not reveal his sin to Anse because it would cause further damage to his reputation and his family. He may also be trying to avoid the guilt and shame that would come with confessing his wrongdoings. Additionally, Whitfield likely feels that keeping his sin hidden is the easiest way to maintain his current standing in the community.
Why did Darl Bundren burn down the barn in 'As I Lay Dying?
Because this book hardly ever says things straight out (it never plainly says Dewey Dell is pregnant, or that Jewel sold his horse), it is basically left up to us to figure out, by using the information we have, Darl's motives behind burning down the barn. In Vardaman's section right before the barn burns, Darl and Vardaman are "listening" to Addie inside her coffin. Vardaman asks Darl what she's saying, he says that she's asking God to help her. When Vardaman inquires as to what help she wants, Darl replies, "She wants Him to hide her away from the sight of man... so she can lay down her life." Immediately following this, the barn is found burning. It's fairly obvious, once we gather these pieces together, that Darl's main goal was to burn the coffin in order to finally put his mother's physical existence to an end.
Further evidence we have that his goal wasn't just to burn the barn for the sake of burning it is that he helped Jewel take the animals outside of the burning barn. It wasn't until Jewel ran back inside after the coffin that Darl yells to "Stop him!" Darl does not want the coffin to be saved. After the whole incident, Vardaman sees Darl lying over the coffin, crying. From all this, we can gather that the whole reason he burned the barn was to burn the coffin.
If you recall, throughout the entire novel, he was the one who always wanted to go the shorter route. He wanted to go to New Hope, he didn't rescue the coffin from the fire. He thought that going through the county with a rotted corpse was humiliating; when Anse was going on and on to a city official in a town they stopped on, Darl told Anse to shut up. When Jewel gets upset with a man he thinks insulted his mother, Darl is the one who gets Jewel to apologize and step back. Through this, we can tell that he is actually quite caring of what people think of him and he is embarrassed by things people do. A way to stop this humiliating journey is to put the coffin to rest. He also realizes that Addie is a selfish, mean woman who doesn't care about any of her kids but Jewel, and that it's because of her that the family is so dysfunctional. He probably realizes that the only reason she told them to leave her body in Jefferson was to have them go through the journey. So he wants to burn her coffin before then and put her to an end.
Continuing on, another reason why he could possibly have wanted to burn the coffin is because, being the perceptive Darl he is, he might have figured out that the only reason Anse wants to go to Jackson is to get some new teeth. Anse's selfishness ends up causing Cash to possibly have to lose his leg and his hard-earned money to by a graphophone, Jewel to sell his horse, and the whole team of mules drowned. Darl realizes the pointlessness of the journey, the sacrifices, and Anse's selfishness. Because of this, he decides to burn the coffin with the hope of being able to stop sacrifices from being made for a pointless goal. She's dead, and there's no use in giving up so much to bury her in some specific place. Ironically enough, because he burns the barn with the hope of being able to stop sacrifices being made, he ends up in an mental institution, the worst fate of all the members of the Bundren family.
While the reason could be one or the other, most likely it's a mixture of both of those answers. Now, why he had to burn the whole entire barn to burn one coffin is hard to say. However, after considering all the possibilities, it is most likely that he burned the entire barn as a cover-up so nobody would know that it was Darl who burned the coffin. They all would have thought the coffin burned in an accidental fire.
This is the most likely reason as to why he burned the barn. Darl is a very smart, intelligent person and views things much differently than other people. To him, it was more important that the coffin burn than for the barn to be saved. Therefore, he burned down the whole barn with the coffin inside, thinking it would burn in the midst of the fire. He also could have left the animals inside there on purpose, knowing that Jewel would go in there to save the animals. His thought could have been that by the time Jewel had rescued the animals, he wouldn't have time to rescue the coffin.
There's a lot of deeper thinking to go on in this section, and again, nothing is completely certain, but given the information we have in the book, these are very likely reasons why Darl burned down Gillespie's barn.
How many days comprise Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying?
William Faulkner's novel "As I Lay Dying" consists of 59 chapters told by 15 different narrators. Each chapter represents a different perspective on the Bundren family's journey to bury their matriarch, Addie Bundren.
Did anse bundren remarry at the end of as I lay dying?
Yes, he did. This is the whole irony of the entire book. After everything that the family went through--Darl being sent to a mental institution, Jewel selling his horse, Cash breaking his leg, Dewey Dell giving up her money for abortion, the mules dying--Anse Bundren doesn't have the respect to his wife to even give her a few days after the burial to wait to get married. This really emphasizes the extent of Anse's selfishness and his lack of care for the sacrifices that his children went through to bury their mother.
How are the characters in As I Lay Dying dynamic?
The characters in "As I Lay Dying" are dynamic because they undergo significant changes and development throughout the novel. Each character has a unique voice and perspective that adds depth to the story, allowing the reader to see different facets of their personalities and motivations. Their internal struggles and external challenges shape their growth and interactions with each other, making them multi-dimensional and complex.
In what way is Darl's telepathy a reaction to gap or silence in As I Lay Dying?
Darl's telepathy can be seen as a response to the characters' inability to effectively communicate with each other due to their own internal struggles and the overall dysfunction within the Bundren family. His ability to sense the unspoken thoughts and emotions of others highlights the deep rifts and lack of meaningful connections between family members, symbolizing the larger themes of isolation and miscommunication in the novel.
Why was As I Lay Dying banned?
"As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner has been challenged and banned due to its themes of death, decay, and family dysfunction, as well as its non-linear narrative structure and challenging language. Some critics argue that these elements make it unsuitable for certain audiences, particularly in educational settings.
Who is the reliable narrator in Faulkner's As I Lay Dying?
That would probably be either Cash, because he is really the only smart person in the entire group, or Tull, because he is outside of the family and he is not totally ignorant like Anse or Dewey Dell.
Also the point Faulkner tries to make with this whole story is the reliability of the narrator. This book is supposed to make you question the narrators' purpose. So in a sense, you cannot really trust any of the characters because it is also written in stream of conscience. Since it is written in stream of conscience each character is saying how they personally feel, which is very subjective.
What is the point of view of As I Lay Dying?
Here are some ecletic thoughts and nonsequiturs to get the ball rolling:
The first person associated with wood, even before Cash and Addie, is Jewel. Wood conveys a sense of hardness and endurance, as opposed to flesh, which is soft and ephemeral, easily decayed (think about Addie's flesh).
It is, on the other hand, malleable and able to be shaped by carpenters. Wood is also directly related to trees, which come up in Anse's first chapter, in which he argues that people are tall like trees instead of long like snakes because God made man to rest, not to travel. Following this idea of wood's vulnerability, wood also inevitably turns into dust.
The second reference comes in Tull's chapter, when he's describing Vardaman's carrying the freshly killed fish. He likens Vardaman to carrying a(n) armful of wood. So wood's immense size, essential immobility and clumsiness, are all at work here.
Later on there is the wood of the coffin; wood acts as the container for Addie's flesh, protecting it from harm.
Wood is used to describe Cash's tools, in particular his hammer, which "has the most wood." Wood is also present in the river in the form of logs, one of which almost takes the life of the three Bundren brothers.
Wood is used repeatedly to describe Jewel by Darl toward the middle stages of the novel, and disappears toward the end.
In As I Lay Dying what is Dr Peabody's relation to Deweydell?
Dr. Peabody is just Addie's doctor and the town doctor. They have no special relationship except Deweydell's head. She wishes that he would approach her and offer her an abortion,
What is the historical context of as i lay dying?
"As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner was published in 1930 during the aftermath of World War I, the Great Depression, and the agricultural crisis in the American South. The novel captures the struggles of a rural family in Mississippi and reflects themes of poverty, grief, and the decline of traditional Southern values. Faulkner's experimental narrative style and exploration of individual perspectives add complexity to the novel's portrayal of societal and personal challenges.
In As I lay Dying who says the water will have to seep into it on a slant?
Addie Bundren says this line in "As I Lay Dying." It reflects her desire to be buried with her family in Jefferson and her belief that water will eventually seep into her grave, connecting her with the land.
Which aspect of anses narration from as i lay dying most clearly makes him an unreliable narrator?
His resistance to the idea that Addie is sick
its narrative is fragmented (apex)
Darl is the character in Faulkner's As I Lay Dying who is most focused on other characters in his descriptions. He is perceptive and introspective, often providing detailed insights into the thoughts and motivations of those around him.
How do you use redundancy in a sentence?
Some examples of redundancy are:
ATM Machine
ATM= Automated Teller Machine
I am going to the ATM is needed. Not I am going to the ATM Machine.
Another is:
I bought a PC Computer.
PC= Personal Computer
I bought a PC is needed. Not I bought a PC Computer.
What are examples of dark comedy in As I Lay Dying?
1. Vardaman drilling holes in his mother's coffin, accidentally putting two holes in her head.
2. Dewey Dell wanting an abortion and being tricked into an ineffective treatment
3. Darl and Vardaman listening to the deceased Addie
4. Vardaman's anxiety of the number of buzzards
5. The family's attempt to cement Cash's leg thus causing him more pain
Who are the most intelligent and sympathetic voices in the novel As I Lay Dying?
In the novel "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner, Darl Bundren is often seen as the most intelligent and sympathetic character. His introspective nature and ability to understand the complexities of human emotions set him apart from the other characters in the novel. His insights into the family's journey and his struggles with his own mental state contribute to his portrayal as a compassionate and perceptive figure.
Is there an Example DFA of an ATM?
An example of a DFA that resembles an ATM can be constructed with states representing different transaction phases (e.g., idle, card insertion, PIN entry, transaction processing) and transitions triggered by user inputs (e.g., card swipe, key press). This DFA would validate the sequence of inputs based on the current state to determine if a valid transaction has occurred.
How is the journey important in Faulkner's As I Lay Dying?
The journey in Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying" symbolizes the characters' inner struggles, relationships, and the themes of death and family. Each character's experiences on the journey reveal their true nature and bring about moments of self-discovery and transformation. The journey serves as a metaphor for the passage of time and the inevitability of change.
What aspect of anses narration from as i lay dying most clearly makes him an unreliable narrator?
Addie is the half-sister of Cash, Darl, and Jewel, and she gives birth to Jewel and Dewey Dell. Hers is a complicated story structured around the characters’ isolations, as they attempt to understand themselves and their relationships within the family unit. She is also the only one who dies while the Bundrens are on their way to Jefferson. As a result, Addie's absence shapes the characters' actions and interactions for the rest of the novel.
