The Dysfunctional Family of As I Lay Dying
The Dysfunctional Family of As I Lay DyingAfter reading As I Lay Dying, I was unsettled by something. It wasn't the plot, although As I Lay Dying had a singularly bizarre storyline. During the action of the novel a mother dies, and her family embarks upon a disaster ridden journey in order to fulfill her last wishes. The eldest son breaks his leg, the family has to sell or mortgage practically all it's worldly goods, and Jewel risks his life twice in order to get his mother's body to Jefferson. Why has Disney not snatched up the film making rights to this singular testament to Bundren family's love and dedication? The answer, and the source of my discomfort, is that the Bundren family is awful. They are almost completely and totally defunct. The fact that there is next to no mourning following Addie's death, the most basic tribute a family can give, is only the tip of the iceberg of selfishness which seems to characterize the Bundren family. The trip to Jefferson, a journey which under other circumstances could be seen as a family's noble tribute to a fallen matriarch, was ruined by the selfish motives of most of the family for undertaking the expedition. Dewey Dell wanted to go to get an abortion. Vardaman wanted to go to get
Darl's action here sets up a perfect model for the sort of destructive behavior without regard for others which Darl exhibits at the burning of the barn. Darl possessed superhuman powers of clairvoyance, as revealed in his knowledge of Dewey Dell's pregnancy, his mother's death and of Jewel's real father. " But Cora Tull cannot be trusted as a judge of relationships, as is evidenced by her misreading of the relationship between Addie and Reverend Whitfield. And in a moment of fierce tenderness he thinks to himself, "It would just be me and her on a high hill and me rolling rocks down the hill at their faces. After all, Jewel's description of the family as buzzards waiting for Addie to die turns out to be fairly accurate. Cash wanted to purchase a record player. Throughout Darl's narration about Jewel, it is clear that he feels Jewel is superior to himself. Despite these facts, Jewel's head still appears above Darl's: people think Darl is strange and Jewel has the love and affection of Addie, the one thing which Darl seems to desire most. His jealousy could only have been further provoked by his knowledge of Jewel's illegitimacy.
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Acceptance Essays
