William Faulkners As I Lay Dying :: Lay Dying William Faulkner Essays

William Faulkners As I Lay DyingWorks Cited MissingFulfilling a promise they had make to their mother, Addie, Cash, Darl,Jewel, Dewey Dell, and Vardaman, in William Faulkners As I Lay Dying, journeyacross the disseminated multiple sclerosis countryside to bring her body to be buried in Jefferson,alongside her prompt family. Each one, in turn, narrates the events of thisexcursion as they are perceived. Though exclusively of the family members are goingthrough the same experiences, each one expresses what they know and how theyfeel by exercising their individual fountains and limitations of language. Whateach character theorises as well as how he/she says it gives insight into thatcharacters underlying meanings.Darl, for example, uses his linguistic skills to touch power as narrator.He possesses the ability to pick up on things un utter and to read otherpeoples actions. Dewey Dell describes his intuitiveness when she says that he said he knew without the words, and I knew he kne w because if he had saidhe knew with words I would not have believedand thats why I can talk to himwith crafty with hating with because he knows (27). He uses his gift ofrealizing things without them having to actually be told to him to gain credibility with the reader. Who would doubt a narrator who possesses thattype of adroitness? Also, his language is assailable and reflective. He usessimiles and metaphors and appears to have an acute awareness of spatialrelationships. Darls sophisticated intuition and poetic linguistics give himthe means of reaching for and maintaining his role as a competent observer andreporter. However, his position does create certain problems for his siblings.Tull describes Darls savour as being uncanny.He is facial expression at me. He dont saynothing just looks at me with themqueer eyes of hisn that makes folkstalk. I always say it aint neverbeen what he done so lots or said oranything so much as how he looks atyou. Its like he had got into theinside of you, someway. Like somehowyou was looking at yourself and yourdoing outen his eyes. (125)It is the same penetrating gaze that gives Darl so much power thatmakes the others around him so uncomfortable, especially Dewey Dell. She feelsthat his strange knowledge of what has not been said is an invasion of herprivacy. The land runs out of Darls eyes they swim to pin points. They depress at my feet and rise along my body to my face, and then my dress is at rest(p)I sit naked on the seat higher up the unhurrying mules, above the travail (121).