As I Lay Dying - William Faulkner

Summary

As I Lay Dying chronicles the arduous and grotesque journey of the impoverished Bundren family to bury their deceased matriarch, Addie, in her hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi. The novel unfolds through 59 interior monologues by 15 different characters, offering fragmented, often contradictory perspectives on the events. Led by the selfish patriarch Anse, the family—including the stoic carpenter Cash, the introspective Darl, the hot-headed Jewel, the pregnant Dewey Dell, and the young Vardaman—transports Addie's decaying corpse across a flood-swollen river, battling natural disasters, personal ailments, and their own conflicting motivations. Each family member harbors a secret agenda or personal desire tied to the journey, transforming what should be a solemn duty into a darkly comedic and tragic odyssey. The pilgrimage culminates in Jefferson, where Anse quickly acquires a new set of teeth and a new wife, leaving the reader to reflect on the true cost and meaning of the family's collective endeavor.

Book Sections

Section 1
Anse Bundren observes his eldest son, Cash, diligently building a coffin for Addie, who is still alive inside the house. The narrative, from Anse's perspective, focuses on the heat and the constant sound of Cash's saw. Vernon Tull, a neighbor, also comments on the unusual precision and dedication Cash shows in his work, even for such a sorrowful task, reflecting on the impending death and the Bundrens' peculiar ways.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Anse Bundren	Patriarch, selfish, lazy, poor farmer, physically ailing (bad back, won't sweat).	Desires new teeth, a new wife, and to fulfill a "promise" to Addie for burial in Jefferson, primarily driven by self-interest.
Cash Bundren	Eldest son, skilled carpenter, stoic, practical, meticulous, highly disciplined.	To fulfill his mother's dying wish by building her coffin perfectly and ensuring her burial in Jefferson.
Vernon Tull	Neighbor, practical, observant, sympathetic, provides an external perspective on the Bundrens' actions.	To help his neighbors, observe events, and reflect on the Bundrens' behavior and misfortunes.
Addie Bundren	Deceased matriarch, former schoolteacher, resentful, strong-willed, desires to be buried in Jefferson.	To be buried in her hometown of Jefferson, away from the Bundrens, which she views as a final act of agency and escape.

Section 2
Darl Bundren, the second son, describes the landscape and the road to Jefferson, noting the oppressive heat and the buzzards already circling. He and Jewel, the third son, are on their way to deliver a load of wood for a local wealthy landowner, a task that temporarily takes them away from Addie's deathbed. Darl's narration is poetic and philosophical, demonstrating his keen observational skills and often unsettling insights into the minds of others.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Darl Bundren	Second son, introspective, philosophical, poetic, perceptive, intuitive, sometimes unsettling in his observations.	To understand the world and people around him, to fulfill his family duties, though increasingly detached and critical of his family's actions.
Jewel Bundren	Third son, illegitimate son of Addie and Whitfield, passionate, fiercely devoted to his horse and, despite appearances, to his mother, prone to anger and resentment.	To be with his horse, to maintain his independence, and to protect his mother's memory and coffin, often through aggressive means.

Section 3
Cora Tull, Vernon's deeply religious wife, recalls her interactions with Addie, focusing on Addie's perceived spiritual failings and Cora's own certainty in her faith. She recounts her efforts to guide Addie towards God and her judgmental assessment of Addie's character, particularly her lack of outward religious devotion.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Cora Tull	Vernon's wife, deeply religious, judgmental, self-righteous, gossipy.	To uphold her strict religious beliefs, to guide others (especially Addie) toward salvation, and to feel morally superior.

Section 4
Darl continues his narration, reflecting on Jewel's intense bond with his horse. He perceives the horse as an extension of Jewel's wild, untamed nature, and he sees a deep, almost primal connection between Jewel and his mother, which he contrasts with Jewel's detachment from the rest of the family.

Section 5
Cash, through his monologue, expresses concern about the rising level of the river due to recent rains, which could make the crossing to Jefferson dangerous. His thoughts are practical and focused on the logistics of the journey, highlighting his role as the family's most dependable and competent member.

Section 6
Vardaman, the youngest Bundren child, struggles to comprehend his mother's death. In his grief and confusion, he catches a large fish, kills it, and then inexplicably associates the dead fish with his dead mother, believing "My mother is a fish." This demonstrates his childish way of processing the incomprehensible, linking a tangible event with the abstract concept of death.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Vardaman Bundren	Youngest son, childlike, struggles with comprehension, innocent but capable of disturbing actions.	To understand his mother's death, to find a tangible explanation for the absence, and to cope with grief in a primitive, associative way.

Section 7
Dewey Dell, the only daughter, is pregnant by Lafe, a farmhand. She feels isolated and desperate to hide her pregnancy and procure an abortion. She recalls a recent encounter with Lafe in the woods and her growing fear and desperation, making her secret pregnancy her primary concern.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Dewey Dell Bundren	Daughter, young, emotionally vulnerable, secretive, pregnant out of wedlock.	To hide her pregnancy, to get an abortion, and to avoid the shame and consequences of her situation.

Section 8
Darl, again, observes his siblings. He recounts the moment of Addie's death, noting Vardaman's frantic behavior and his attempt to drill holes in his mother's coffin to allow her to breathe, a notion fueled by his association of her with the fish. Darl’s narration is detached but sharply perceptive, capturing the absurdity and tragedy of the situation.

Section 9
Cora Tull, with her characteristic self-righteousness, describes the moment of Addie's death and her own attempt to comfort the family. She sees Addie's passing as a confirmation of her religious beliefs and further laments Addie's spiritual resistance. She feels a duty to offer comfort and guidance, despite the family's clear disinterest.

Section 10
Addie Bundren's own voice finally emerges from the grave. In a profound and pivotal monologue, she reveals her life story, her deep resentment of Anse and her children (except Jewel), her disillusionment with words and marriage, and her illicit affair with Reverend Whitfield, which resulted in Jewel's birth. She expresses her preference for action over words and her desire for solitude even in death.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Reverend Whitfield	Local preacher, hypocritical, Addie's lover, Jewel's biological father.	To maintain his public image, to avoid scandal, and to justify his sinful actions through self-serving religious interpretation.

Section 11
As the family begins the journey, Samson, a farmer, provides shelter for them on the first night. He observes their strange behavior, the decaying smell of the body, and the general discomfort. He sees their journey as ill-fated and warns Anse about the rising river, which Anse dismisses.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Samson	Farmer, neighbor, practical, wary, offers reluctant hospitality.	To maintain his property, to avoid trouble, and to fulfill a minimal neighborly duty while keeping distance from the Bundrens' oddness.

Section 12
Darl provides a vivid description of the arduous and perilous river crossing. The bridge is out, forcing them to ford the swollen river. The wagon overturns, Cash's leg is broken, and they almost lose Addie's coffin. Darl's narrative emphasizes the chaos, the river's destructive power, and Jewel's heroic efforts to retrieve the coffin.

Section 13
Cash, in his practical and stoic manner, details the specific calculations and problems that led to the wagon overturning in the river. He meticulously lists the reasons for the disaster, focusing on physics and logistics rather than emotion, even as he describes his own broken leg.

Section 14
Peabody, the family doctor, is called to treat Cash's severely broken leg. He offers cynical observations about the Bundrens, their poverty, and their perceived shiftlessness. He notes Anse's selfishness and the family's strange devotion to their mother's decaying body.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Peabody	Family doctor, cynical, pragmatic, provides a professional but critical external perspective.	To treat the sick, to maintain his professional distance, and to offer his unfiltered opinions on the Bundren family's behavior.

Section 15
Armstid, another farmer who provides shelter for the Bundrens after the river crossing, recounts his interactions with them. He notes Jewel's intense attachment to his horse and Anse's continued self-pity. He lends Anse a team of mules, which Anse promises to return but never does, highlighting Anse's opportunistic nature.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Armstid	Farmer, neighbor, initially sympathetic, later frustrated by Anse's opportunism.	To offer help to those in need, but also to be taken advantage of, illustrating the Bundrens' impact on others.

Section 16
Darl observes Jewel's intense actions and his deep connection to his horse as Jewel sells his horse to Anse for money to buy a new team of mules after the initial mules were lost in the river. Darl perceives Jewel's internal struggle and his ultimate sacrifice for his mother's burial.

Section 17
Dewey Dell, still desperate, attempts to find a doctor or druggist in Mottson who will perform an abortion. She is exploited by MacGowan, a clerk at a drug store, who tricks her into a sexual encounter, promising a procedure he never intends to perform.

Character	Characteristics	Motivations
Moseley	Druggist in Mottson, initially appears sympathetic but ultimately refuses Dewey Dell's request.	To uphold legal/moral standards (or fear of consequences), to provide advice, but not to break the law.
MacGowan	Drug store clerk in Jefferson, manipulative, opportunistic, exploits Dewey Dell.	To sexually exploit Dewey Dell, preying on her desperation and vulnerability.

Section 18
Darl's mental state deteriorates further as he describes the journey. The decaying smell of Addie's body becomes unbearable, attracting buzzards. He contemplates burning the barn where the coffin is kept, seeing it as a way to end the family's grotesque journey and release his mother's spirit from the decaying flesh. His monologues become more fragmented.

Section 19
Cash's leg, which had been set by Darl and Anse in cement, becomes gangrenous due to improper setting and lack of medical attention. He suffers immensely but remains stoic, rarely complaining, still fixated on the family's mission.

Section 20
Anse, upon arriving in Jefferson, finally gets his new teeth. He also quickly finds a new wife, "the new Mrs. Bundren," a woman from whom he borrowed the spades. He justifies his actions by claiming he made a promise to Addie to "get her buried and then I can get them teeth," showing no remorse for his selfishness.

Section 21
Darl, having set fire to Gillespie's barn where the coffin was stored, is forcibly taken away to the state asylum in Jackson. His family, particularly Anse and Cash, seems to condone this, viewing him as insane and a threat to their collective sanity and the completion of the mission. Darl's final monologues are marked by a complete breakdown, repeating "Yes Darl? Yes Darl?"

Section 22
Vardaman recounts Darl's departure, confused but seemingly accepting of it. He continues to struggle with the concept of death and absence, his fragmented thoughts reflecting his young age and the traumatic events he has witnessed.

Section 23
Dewey Dell, after being exploited by MacGowan, realizes she has been tricked. Her desperation returns, and she is left without the abortion she so desperately sought, facing the grim reality of her pregnancy and its consequences. She feels betrayed and utterly alone.

Section 24
Cash, now with a properly mended leg (though still in pain), reflects on Darl's fate. He acknowledges Darl's unique sensitivity and intelligence, hinting that Darl's "insanity" might be a consequence of his ability to perceive truths others could not, or would not. Cash expresses a quiet understanding mixed with a sense of the inevitable.

Genre
Modernist novel, Southern Gothic, Stream of Consciousness

Author Facts

• William Faulkner (1897-1962) was an American writer, primarily known for his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi.
• He won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1949 "for his powerful and artistically unique contribution to the modern American novel."
• Faulkner was also a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner (for A Fable and The Reivers) and a two-time National Book Award winner.
• His complex narrative structures, multiple perspectives, and dense, evocative prose are are hallmarks of his style, often exploring themes of the American South, race, family, and the past.

Morale
As I Lay Dying offers a grim yet compelling exploration of human nature, suggesting that individual desires and self-interest often underpin even seemingly communal or selfless acts. It delves into the fragmented nature of grief and memory, highlighting the profound difficulty of true communication and understanding between individuals. The novel portrays family bonds as complex and often fraught with resentment, misunderstanding, and exploitation. Ultimately, it suggests that life, even in its most absurd and tragic forms, is characterized by relentless striving and a desperate clinging to one's own subjective reality and desires, regardless of the suffering it might entail for others.

Curiosities

• Faulkner reportedly wrote the novel in just six weeks while working night shifts at a power plant in Oxford, Mississippi.
• The novel features 59 distinct interior monologues from 15 different characters, a pioneering and extensive use of the stream-of-consciousness narrative technique.
• Each character's chapter title is simply their name, with varying lengths from a single paragraph to several pages.
• The original title Faulkner considered for the book was Dark House.
• Despite its initial mixed reviews due to its experimental style, As I Lay Dying is now widely considered one of Faulkner's masterpieces and a landmark of modernist literature.
• The Bundrens' arduous journey, fraught with obstacles, has been interpreted by critics as a dark, absurd parody of epic quests found in classical literature, like Homer's The Odyssey.