William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying
The classic 1930 Novel by William Faulkner, “As I Lay Dying” is a demonstration of the evolution of modernist literature that incorporates an in-depth psychological aspect. The psychoanalytic novel displays the intricacy of the human psyche by attempting to unravel what lays in human minds. The novel presents an emotionally, psychologically and physically distressing journey of a family characteristic by selfishness as they embark. The novel entails a critical inquiry of the psychoanalysis of human minds and their response to tribulations. The novel’s richness in human emotions echoes human nature of self-centeredness that results in divergence in human behavior.

Group dynamisms is vividly and richly drawn in the novella which covers multiple psychological complexities by the characters. The story is narrated in multiple perspectives and covers several human complexities that include characters psychological development, mechanisms of defense and the mourning dynamics. The novella incorporates the inevitability of anguish and grief to define the values of human existence. The context of the novel as an expedition of tragedy and tribulations by the fictional Bundren Family in a fictious Yoknapatawpha County, as they embark to take their deceased wife and mother Addie to her home town, Jefferson. The novel features incongruities in response to bereavement and spectrum of human emotions.

Self-centeredness and insensitivity are a paradoxes that feature throughout the plot. The family begins deliberation of the mother’s demise, coffin and burial while she is still on her deathbed even while they are uncertain of her death. Superficially, the family is remorseful and intends to accord Addie her wishful burial, but a deeper synthesis reveals other ulterior motives that energize the family’s desire to go to Jefferson. As the Bundren’s share the burden of grief, the family is by large inclined to the larger context opportunity that comes with the demise of their mother and wife, and subsequent burial in Jefferson. The eldest son Cash constructs a coffin for his dying mother Addie just outside the window, “lying there with her head propped up so she could watch Cash building the coffin.” While the oldest child Cash posits that the mother derives more value from the coffin construction as opposed to spending time with his dying mother, his motive is driven by the materialistic need to demonstrate his carpentry skills, make money and look for the gramophone. Moreover, Cash’s motive to save the drowning coffin is the desire to recover his work tools in the...…is traded across the family. But as Faulkner walks the reader into the journey of relating to bereavement, he signals perseverance grief. Irrespective of the series of grotesque disasters along the journey, the Bundrens accord Addie burial. The novel demonstrates that the family remains united even after the indifferences following the demise of Addie. Perhaps one of the comical features of the novel is the radical conclusion with Anse remarrying shortly after burying Addie.

Faulkner uses stream-of-consciousness narration by endeavoring to extract the character’s consciousness. For example, Vardaman demonstrates his consciousness of bewilderment in the monologue “My mother is a fish.” The opening up of the character’s mind by recording the character’s flow of thoughts create an ample foundation for a psychological analysis. The multiple narrations approaches in the novel enable the readers to maneuver the minds of the characters helping in understanding the different perspectives of the characters. By constantly switching the plots, Faulkner captivates the reader’s interest. The narrative entails the use of symbolic languages such as a coffin symbol as opposed to using the word coffin and blank space symbolizing the character. Throughout the narration, Faulkner centers the discourse on the dynamism of human life entailing individual, family, society and death themes.

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