As I Lay Dying by Faulkner

[Scheherazade]

As I Lay Dying by Faulkner

The tragic story of the Bundren family's journey to bury their mother in her birthplace despite natural obstacles and their extreme poverty. During their journey, we get to find out about their complicated relationships under their seemingly simple existence.

The stream of consciousness is not my favorite style but the humour element in the story makes it a fun read.

9/10 KitKats!

[Michael T]

An absolute classic from a magical era for American literature.

[PabloQ]

It's been probably 15-20 years since I read this book, but I remember enjoying it. Faulkner is on the horizon for this summer. I might throw this one into the mix for a reread.

[Virgil]

I'm ashamed to say that this is the one Faukner classic I have never read. :blush:

[The Comedian]

This and Sanctuary are my favorite Faulkner works.

[amalia1985]

Amazing! I read it three years ago, in a university course, and it has stayed with me ever since. Some scenes are so poetic, filled with inner beauty.

[serendipity86]

Does the book tell us that the collectivism is bound to fail? If a family can't go together to accomplish something, how can a country do it?

[mayneverhave]

Does the book tell us that the collectivism is bound to fail? If a family can't go together to accomplish something, how can a country do it?

I'm not sure. As with many other quality novels, there are different shades and complexities to As I Lay Dying, that it is hard to draw up one overall statement from the novel.

For one, Faulkner has some fun with this particular family. The Bundrens are not the Compsons; they are country bumpkins. Darl may have the interior thoughts of a Harvard student, but he is not Quentin Compson. They are in distinctly different worlds. Therefore we cannot entirely connect the Bundren's problems with the rest of the world's.

Secondly, the quest is not accomplished in the classic sense (though Addie is indeed saved from fire and flood), not because quests are necessarily bound to fail, but because this particular quest is absurd. Darl is the only character able to see this, that is why he burns the barn down (an act considered malicious in a agriculture oriented society).

[oopsycandy]

The first Faulkner I ever read and I loved it! Ive really struggled to try to read The sound and the fury though, and didnt enjoy Cold light in August as much either x

[mona amon]

Oh dear, I can't un-vote now. I clicked on the second last option, confusing this book with Absalom, Absalom the only Faulkner that I've read. :blush:

[papayahed]

Oh dear, I can't un-vote now. I clicked on the second last option, confusing this book with Absalom, Absalom the only Faulkner that I've read. :blush:

I unvoted you.:lol:

[mpeachhead]

It's my favorite Faulkner novel and his most accessible in my opinion, although haven't read them all. I don't think it's about how collectivism is bound to fail. I think it's more about absurdity as another poster noted. This is a pointless quest. The novel is comedic but epic. It's firmly a modernist work containing a fragmented chronology and multiple points of view. It's probably his funniest.

The characters are well developed too. I love the switching back and forth from Cash to Darl to Jewel. We also get Addie's point of view, which explains the title As I Lay Dying.