Style Mirrored in the Theme of as I Lay Dying
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A.P. Literature
11/22/04
Style Mirrored in the theme of As I Lay Dying
William Faulkner in his book As I Lay Dying communicates the central theme of Independence to show his style of writing; Point of view. In As I lay Dying the theme is independence; of the family, of each character. Each of the characters independence is devised of their isolation and their individuality. In each characters chapter its their points of view, either if they are reliable or not, he shows what they are and converts it through the characters words and then to us. There are three passages in sequential order which show true isolation through their points of view are; Cora, Addie, Whitfield. These three characters have conflicts relation to one another, but each of their chapters they inform us more, while the other characters are oblivious to what really happened.
In the chapter of Cora (the wife of Tull, a religious woman in the area, who disapproves of Addie) she spends the finals hours of Addies life with her. There was a flashback to when they were having a conversation of religion, how Addie was judging rather then leaving it up to God. Addie was vain and proud of it, and she realized that Jewel was her favorite and most appreciative. That Jewel is her God “He is my cross and he will be my salvation.” Cora is independent to this family; she has nothing in common but their location. They Bundren family is not religious compared to Cora, Cora seems as a missionary trying to convert this family into believers. But even thought The Cora and the family dont see eye-to-eye, she thinks that she needs to be there to explain religion.
In Addies chapter, there is a confusion of whether it is her who is talking in to coffin or the narrator has a flashback. From this Point of View you can understand who she is. It gives her an identity which none of the other characters could even give us a brief insight of her. They Flashback before she was married she was happy beating the children as a school teacher.