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As I Lay Dying is a 1930 novel by American author William Faulkner. Faulkner said that he wrote the novel from midnight to 4:00 AM over the course of six weeks and that he did not change a word of it.[1] Faulkner wrote it while working at a power plant, published it in 1930, and described it as a "tour de force." Faulkner's fifth novel, it is consistently ranked among the best novels of 20th-century literature.[2][3][4][5] The title derives from Book XI of Homer's The Odyssey, wherein Agamemnon speaks to Odysseus: "As I lay dying, the woman with the dog's eyes would not close my eyes as I descended into Hades."
The novel utilizes stream of consciousness writing technique, multiple narrators, and varying chapter lengths.
The book is narrated by 15 different characters over 59 chapters. It is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her family's quest and motivations – noble or selfish – to honor her wish to be buried in the town of Jefferson.
As is the case in much of Faulkner's work, the story is set in Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, which Faulkner referred to as "my apocryphal county," a fictional rendition of the writer's home of Lafayette County in the same state.
Characters[edit]
Addie Bundren – Addie is the wife of Anse and the mother of Cash, Darl, Jewel, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman. She had an extramarital affair with her minister, Reverend Whitfield, which led to the conception and birth of her third child, Jewel.
Anse Bundren – Anse is Addie's widower, the father of all the children but Jewel.
Cash Bundren – Cash is a skilled and helpful carpenter and the eldest son of the family. In his late twenties, he builds Addie's coffin.
Darl Bundren – The second eldest of Addie's children, Darl is about two years younger than Cash. Darl is the most articulate character in the book; he narrates 19 of the 59 chapters.
Jewel Bundren – Jewel is the third of the Bundren children, most likely around nineteen years of age. A half-brother to the other
The novel utilizes stream of consciousness writing technique, multiple narrators, and varying chapter lengths.
The book is narrated by 15 different characters over 59 chapters. It is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her family's quest and motivations – noble or selfish – to honor her wish to be buried in the town of Jefferson.
As is the case in much of Faulkner's work, the story is set in Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, which Faulkner referred to as "my apocryphal county," a fictional rendition of the writer's home of Lafayette County in the same state.
Characters[edit]
Addie Bundren – Addie is the wife of Anse and the mother of Cash, Darl, Jewel, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman. She had an extramarital affair with her minister, Reverend Whitfield, which led to the conception and birth of her third child, Jewel.
Anse Bundren – Anse is Addie's widower, the father of all the children but Jewel.
Cash Bundren – Cash is a skilled and helpful carpenter and the eldest son of the family. In his late twenties, he builds Addie's coffin.
Darl Bundren – The second eldest of Addie's children, Darl is about two years younger than Cash. Darl is the most articulate character in the book; he narrates 19 of the 59 chapters.
Jewel Bundren – Jewel is the third of the Bundren children, most likely around nineteen years of age. A half-brother to the other