Faulkner is a genius. He might be the greatest writer of this century and that opinion is based on two novels that I have read of his. The first one I completed was The Sound and the Fury, which became my all time favorite book, and I didn’t think he could come close to matching that work of art. As I Lay Dying comes close, however, to reaching the greatness Faulkner achieved to the prior. In terms of creativity and originality in writing style it might even be better (although it lacks the same level of genius, complexity, and power that The Sound and the Fury had.) Yet, this is a masterpiece it its own right. Dazzling, complex, and startlingly original, this is a novel that dares to lead you down a daring, unorthodox, dreamlike flow of words, and takes you into a world like no other.
The story is not complicated, but rather simple and straightforward. It is the characters and writing style that makes this book a phenomenon. As I Lay Dying has fifty-nine chapters, told in alternate by various family members and outsiders who are observing. Every chapter is told in first person, and with every character, the writing style is brilliantly changed in order to fit the pathos of the individual who is telling the story. The plot simply is this: A dying mother has a wish to be buried in a town a considerable distance from her own, and makes a request of her family to take her there and bury her when she has passed on. The novel takes us on that journey to bury her, told by her sons, her daughter, her husband, and other outsiders. The most ironic element is that most of the characters have their own selfish, alternative motives for wanting to make the voyage into town to bury their dead mother. Whether it be buying some new teeth or wanting to find a doctor to perform an abortion. Nothing is as it seems here.
The Essay on Apa Snippets and Style Writing Pointers to Help Tcl Nursing Students Write Excellent Papers
APA Snippets and Style Writing Pointers to Help TCL Nursing Students Write Excellent Papers Datatel Number Technical College of the Lowcountry Course Number Abstract All papers should have an abstract. An abstract is a brief, comprehensive summary of the contents of the paper, including the purpose and major findings. The abstract should be well organized, concise and specific. The abstract should ...
One of the main characters is Darl, a son of Addie (the dying mother), who is viewed as insane by the rest of the family, when in actuality; he is the sanest one of all. Darl’s sections are told in beautiful, poetic, sublime, and even hypnotic storytelling. The others sons of Addie are Jewel, Cash, and Vardaman. Cash is extremely methodical and can only concentrate on one thing at a time. Thus, his sections are very orderly, simple, and structured. Jewel only has one section of his own throughout the nove and is viewed by the others as violent and uncaring. Jewel, ironically, is the only one in the family that the mother Addie ever cared about. Addie herself being a mean and lonely individual, it is interesting to see how screwed up the family she has created turns out to be. Vardaman is the youngest, mentally handicapped son of Addie. His sections are told in a sporadic “stream of conscious style”, that is often confusing, just as he might really think. Dewey Dell is the only daughter of the family. She is very naïve, unintelligent, and sexually driven. The father of this crazy clan is Anse, who is a lazy, worthless father who cares nothing for anyone but himself. The story is also told by other supporting characters who give us subjective views of the Bundren family, which may be the most odd, pathetic family ever to hit the pages of any novel.
Again I want to reiterate that it is not the story, but how the story is told that makes this a marvel and a gem. Notice the brilliancy which Faulkner changes his writing style from character to character. He takes us inside each one of their heads and by the end we know everyone, including the supporting cast, very well. There is also much symbolism sprinkled throughout, and for a full comprehensive study, the Cliff Notes might come in handy (although this book is not nearly and complicated as The Sound and the Fury)
The Essay on Odysseus Character Books Epic
1. Does the Odysseus of these books seem different in character from the Odysseus of Books V - XII? If so, why? In the books 5 to 12 Odysseus' character does not really undergo any transitions from one facet to another. Odysseus still carries the same attributes and traits right through to the end of the story. It is, however, evident in book 22, when Odysseus takes his revenge upon the suitors, ...
One might argue that why should we even give a damn about the pathetic flight of this pathetic family. One argument to counter that would be that Faulkner wrote this book in order to gauge the reaction of his audience. At times we don’t know whether to laugh at the dark comedy that is a central theme in the novel, or to cry out in pity for the characters and their heartaches. The mood of the novel has a very wide range of effect, and Faulkner knew all this. At times, he almost dares the readers to laugh when they shouldn’t, or be emotionally stirred when it seems unnecessary.
The one argument that no one can make is how breathtakingly original the material presented here is. I doubt I will ever find a book this creative, even if it is not the most emotional or poignant subject matter. The description is dazzling, inventive, and daring. Overall the book is tour de force of literary creativity and imagination. I was memorized by the whole experience, and this is actually a very entertaining book as well. Of course, it dives in much deeper than the shallow realm of mindless entertainment. Like all great novels, you could continue to discover new things with every read. The characters alone could be talked about for days, and there could be a slew of different opinions as to what their motives are and what makes them who they are.
Yes Faulkner, you have done it again. You have taken the reader into another one of your gleaming, surreal visions. You have lifted us off the boring plateau of mechanical reading and taken us into another one of your worlds full of symbol and uniqueness. It is too bad that too many other writers don’t try as hard as you do to make the novels we read this impressive and unforgettable.
Grade: A
