Death is the one thing that comes to us all. It cannot be persuaded, dodged, delayed, or escaped. Consequently, it is one of the greatest mysteries known to man. Some fear it, some embrace it, and some refuse even to acknowledge it. Every person reacts to death in a slightly different manner--they have to; every single person is unique. The essential ingredients of the human heart (Pride, Selfishness, Hatred, Love, Hope, Dreams) are all combined together in different ways and quantities to create the individuals of the human race. How can such opposite and conflicting emotions survive together in one body? In As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner uses point-of-view, humor, symbolism, and--most importantly--the characters themselves in an attempt to fathom the complexities of the human heart.

William Faulkner was born in Mississippi, a humble beginning for such an auspicious writer. This southern birthplace had a deep impact on his writings; Faulkner wrote primarily about the historical south, not the "grand old days" of plantation living, but the somber days of the decaying social structure. He was obsessed with understanding his fellow man. M

"My father said that the reason for living is getting ready to stay dead." Addie Bundren is the center of the story, despite her deceased state for almost all of the novel. She is one of the most controversial characters. A tone of despair and bitterness is created in her only chapter of the book. She makes constant reference to "aloneness," "violation," the uselessness of words, and deception. She hated her father, and she married Anse as a way to get away from it all. She never loved him, she simply used him to get what she wanted, or, as she put it, she "took" him. Unfortunately, her newfound privacy was shattered by the birth of her children. She was devastated by the realization that Anse had married her for his own ends as well. She hated her children, and she looked forward to the times when they faulted so she could beat them so that she would be "something your secret and selfish life." She never felt connected to her children, for she never loved them. They were never more than nuisances to her. She "gave Anse the children," she never wanted to have anything to do with them, and she hated Anse for creating them. She hated deception, especially that which came through words. Words were no more than "a shape to fill a lack." Ironically, she has the greatest deception of them all--she cheated on Anse. And she did it in style--with the preacher. Jewel was the fruit of that union, and he was the one she lavished the most attention on. He was her sin. She realized this, and she cherished him, for it was after his birth that she decided to die. In this she attempted to fulfill her father's philosophy, "the reason for living is getting ready to stay dead." She "gave Anse Dewey Dell to negative Jewel. Then I gave him Vardaman to replace the child I had robbed him of." She called this "cleaning the house." She was trying to right everything she could before she died, atoning for cheating on Anse in the only way she knew how, by giving him children. And when she was done, she died. This is hardly the normal mental picture of a housewife. Faulkner created a person. She hated her family, she loved her privacy, she sinned through adultery, she hoped for death, and she dreamed of release. Although she is not a pleasant character, she is herself and no one else, complex as a real human.

Faulkner uses first person point of view to tell his story. This is not, in itself, a wholly remarkable thing, but fifteen different characters narrate this story. This plethora of people allows the reader to look at the same situation through different eyes and realize a huge truth. Not everyone sees the world the same. Hardly a revolutionary idea, but very difficult to swallow. Having three different characters narrate the river scene reveals how each person notices something different. One character may be worried only of himself, another may think of the drowned team of mules, while the third may be worried about keeping his tools safe. This unique multiple view helps the reader to understand other people and (hopefully) to practice a bit of empathy. Faulkner also utilizes a unique technique known as stream

Some topics in this essay:
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