In the beginning of As I Lay Dying I was extremely confused, but that is normal for me when we read books for classes.
The one part that really caught me was Jewel's chapter in the very beginning. This chapter caught me because it seems so cruel to have to watch someone make your coffin. I get that their mom is going to die anyways, but having to watch that takes away any hope or happiness in the last moments of their life. Also during this passage I was wondering what Faulkner meant by "one lick less." I kept trying figure it out, does it mean like one less time? I suppose in the context of the story that sort of makes sense, but I would also really like to know what Faulkner meant by that. Also, what is "adze?"
Later, during Cora’s chapter (pages 21-25) I was really hooked on when she made a distinction between Jewel’s affection for Addie and Darl’s affection for her. Even though Addie favors Jewel, Darl still shows affection for Addie that Cora does not see with Jewel. I’m really not taking to Jewel; he seems kind to himself and not concerned with what is going on around him. In the beginning I thought that he would be cool, you know, doing his own thing, walking the unbeaten path, but now I’m put off by him. Anyways, this portion of the story really captured me; that the son, who was over looked by his mother, is still greatly affected by this impending death. The way that Cora describes it as, “He just looked at her, and I felt the bounteous love of the Lord again and His mercy.” This look of love and endearment is so moving. Cora continues, “I saw that with Jewel she had just been pretending but that it was between her and Darl that the understanding and the love was.” Not to be a Debby Downer, but when I go to the great beyond I’d like to have someone to share that connection with. I’m looking forward to seeing how Darl and Jewel each react and handle the death of their mother.
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An Adze is a saw, just so you know, even though it was probably answered in your seventh hour class with Ms. Arko. But I do agree with you, I think that the trivial way that they handle the death of Addie was harsh and at least in my mind, incredibly unrealistic. Simply because in the society that I was brought up in, it doesn't make sense for anyones family to start making a coffin before someone is even dead. The first part of the story reminded me of the scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail where the man is calling out for bodies, "Bring Out Yer Dead!" and the man comes out with a person who is still alive and bargains with the man to take the body before he dies. While all of this is going on, the dying man is pleading with the other to let him live, and that he is feeling better now. And just like in Monty Python, the Bundren family is like the man telling 'Death' to take their loved one away, simply because they don't want it anymore.
ReplyDeleteKelsey, I am obligated to love you because of your Monty Python reference :) :) :) :) :) :)
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I was also stunned by how callously the Bundren's treated the death of their mother. Even though Cora claimed that Darl gazed at Addie with so much love, he still went to town to earn 3 dollars even though he wasn't sure of Addie would make it that long. However, Darl seems to have the only right idea when he tries to burn down the barn with the coffin in it; even though this may not have been the best route to take, he still knew that the way they were treating Addie's body was extremely disrespectful and dishonorable.
I think it just shows how selfish each member of the family is. They say they are going to Jefferson because it was Addie's wish, but that is just their excuse. Anse only wants to get new teeth, and Dewey Dell want to see a doctor. Jewel clearly shows that he only cares about his horse, and Cash can't even wait until Addie passes away to build her coffin. They are all so caught up in themselves that they don't even stop to think that their mother has just died. Then, once Addie is burried, they continue on with their lives as though nothing has happened.
ReplyDeleteNot to exactly stand up for cash but I don't really think he was excited to build his mother's coffin while she was still alive but more for purposes of keeping her from getting increidbly stinky during their journey to Jefferson. I dont think that cash knew everyone's alterior motives for going to Jefferson. I do agree that everyone in the family is incredibly selfish and I kind of started to feel bad for Addie until her chapter. Addie just let it all happen to her and if she had a real problem with something she should have taken care of it.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way when I began reading As I lay Dying. Right from the start I knew that the story was going to be weird because seriously, who builds a coffin right in front of the woman that will soon be in it? I noticed Darl’s affection for his mother and immediately felt bad for him. I thought Jewl was sort of a prick for the way he was acting about his mother’s death which I didn’t expect from the guy who was loved by his mother the most.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it seems like it would be flip-flopped, I totally didn't see Jewel loving Addie more than Darl. I bet it's because of that one chapter that we get a super negative look into his life. We also get this view even more with his appearance in other character's chapters too. Even in the end, I found him to still be almost as un-likable as Anse.
ReplyDeleteI took the "one lick less" thing to be Cash progressing in making the coffin sort of like, one less cut, one less swing of the axe. They say "One lick less" usually in a reference to like the cat 'o nine whip that is sometimes used in stories of pirates etc.
ReplyDeleteI felt the same way you did, Taylor, about Jewel. In the through the beginning he seemed to be more of a developed individual and as you said "off the beaten path", but after a while he's just too into himself and his own problems. His inner demons almost take away from the story as a whole and it seems like it should be the Bundren family and Jewel. Maybe that lack of connection is there due to the fact that Jewel has a different father.