The impact of a parent on the life of their children is arguably the most character forming relationship that takes place in life. Parent's attitudes, gestures, speech patterns, and beliefs, are just a few of the ways that children consciously or unconsciously mimic their parents. In William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying, this ideal holds very true. The relationships between married couples in the novel have very vivid impacts on their children and the way that the children behave and interact. To accurately illustrate this point, the relationship of Addie and Anse Bundren along with that of Cora and Vernon Tull will be illustrated. In addition, the views of the respective parents by their children will be given specific attention.
             In properly examining the relationship between Addie and Anse Bundren, it is important to look at their past. Beginning with Addie's teaching days when Anse would nervously ride by the schoolhouse to talk and attempt to court her. The courtship was brief and Addie seemed to be very tentative about spending her life with Anse, in whom she did not see too many long term positive qualities. After the couple's first son, Cash was born, Addie felt violated, both by Cash's birth and by Anse, who, by her own admission she did not love. Addie expresses her cynicism about life "So I took Anse. And when I knew that I had Cash, I knew that living was terrible and that this was the answer to it." (Faulkner 171). This extreme pessimism surely stemmed from her father who told her told her that "the reason for living was to get ready to be dead for a long time." (Faulkner 169) The negative attitude of Addie's father certainly rubbed off on her and can be seen in the way that Addie feels about, and treats relationships within her family. The perpetual unhappiness that Addie feels is largely taken out on her family, she does not show many feelings of caring...