Response to prompt 3: Make an argument for the dignity/absurdity of the characters, citing evidence from the text.
As I Lay Dying splits the points of narrations between characters, often showing the characters as insane or boring. The split narration also may lengthen a fairly innocuous scene by narrating the events by 2 or more characters. But looking beyond seemingly foolish characters, Faulkner is bringing the readers deep into the world he created. The readers learn exactly who the characters are, and how they feel about one another. Because of Faulkner’s realistic, chaotic, and varied narration of characters, Faulkner shows the reader exactly who the characters are and whom they care/don’t care about, which would not be possible to the same extent with only one point of view.
Faulkner also creates more realistic characters by making some of the characters narrations uncoordinated and difficult to understand. For example, Faulkner shows Vardamon clearly as a child by making his chapters chaotic. If Faulkner had made Vardamon easier to understand, he would have underscored the grief and hurt Vardamon was feeling at the loss of his mother. Additionally, Vardamon’s run-on sentences show Vardamon’s youth and inability to process his grief. As the Bundrens place Addie in her coffin, Vardamon narrates chaotically, begging ‘“Are you going to nail her up in it, Cash? Cash? Cash?...I couldn’t breathe because the rat was breathing up all the air” (Faulkner pg. 65). Vardamon’s tumultuous narration shows the shock and grief Vardamon is going through. Vardamon repeats and repeats Cash’s name, afraid Cash will ignore him. Vardamon worries his mother won’t have enough air in her coffin, although she’s dead. These narrations, among others in Vardamon’s chapters, show the reader the crazed and unstable state of mind Vardamon is in. Only through Faulkner’s tailored narration of characters do readers truly understand who each character is.
Faulkner’s very biased narrations show the true relationships between characters. Faulkner is demonstrating the ‘show don’t tell’. Had Faulkner included internal explicit discussion about how the characters disliked each other, his message would have been weaker than his demonstration of the dynamics between characters. In Cora’s 2nd chapter, she describes Darl as “different from those others. I always said he was the only one of them that had his mother’s nature, had any natural affection” (Faulkner, pg. 21). Faulkner demonstrates through Cora’s stream of consciousness Cora affection and respect for Darl, her mannerisms and turns of phrase, and explaining her past (positive) opinions of Darl. With Cora’s narration, the reader learns Darl is liked by some. But by the same literary method, Faulkner demonstrates others dislike Darl. As Vardamon watches Darl wrestle with Addie’s coffin in the river, Vardamon explains “she [Addie] fought to stay under the water but Darl is strong…” but when Darl returns to the bank empty handed, Vardamon yells “You [Darl] never got her. You knew she was a fish but you let her get away” (Faulkner pg. 151). Through various streams of consciousness the reader learns the anger which festers between characters.
Through Faulkner’s varied points of narration and streams of consciousness, Faulkner gives the reader deep insight into the characters themselves, and the dynamics between characters. Without the many pages dedicated to character’s thoughts and motivations, the story would move faster. The plot would speed up, had Faulkner not had to go back and reintroduce characters, their writing styles, motivations, opinions, and more. But with the space dedicated to the points of view of various characters, Faulkner fleshes out the characters and their relationships to a depth few books and authors compare to.
-Kai
Citations:
image 1: https://pixabay.com/images/search/chaos/
image 2: https://www.boomplay.com/songs/121315362
image 3: https://www.whitewaterguidebook.com/oregon/sandy-river-gorge/
Hello again Kai, Prompt 3 is a fun way to look at “As I Lay Dying”’s characters, because as you and I both know, they all definitely have moments where they look absurd. However, your explanation of their absurdity as a way for Faulkner to further deepen the writing of his characters is understandable. Your mention of how Faulkner would use biased language in other character pov chapters to write in the character relationships is also very interesting, and something I hadn’t thought of before! Good eye!
ReplyDeleteHi Kia! I never thought about the importance of the multiple POV's, but i definitely agree. Understanding how the characters feel about the entire situation and about each other add to the book significantly. You did a great job explaining how the POV's change how we see their ridiculous actions as well. Great post!
ReplyDeleteHey Kai, I never thought about Faulkner's writing that way. Using changes in perspectives to get a feel for the world in As I Lay Dying and sort of immersing yourself into the book as if you were also a character too. I also agree with how hard it is to understand some of these characters when they speak but perhaps Faulkner does do it that way so it feels like the characters are actually talking in their own tone of voice.
ReplyDeleteHi Kai! You give some really good insight into Faulkner's use of multiple perspectives. I particularly liked how you mentioned how some of the sporadic language thats difficult to understand makes the characters more realistic. This book is truly different, and you captured a profound detail that makes it unique really well!
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