As I Lay Dying Addie Bundren Character Analysis

Who cares? Family is not important anyways.
In William Faulkner’s “As I Lay Dying” shows that family means nothing during a time of grief. They are all appearing to heroically fulfill Addie Bundren’s dying wish to be buried in her hometown of Jefferson. While traveling the come in contact with a few obstacles that not just the family have to go threw but also the decaying corpse of their mother. Every character except for Jewel is corrupted in a deep, developed personal lie.. They are all using this moment of travel as a convenience to their high hopes. Theres no grieving or mourning after the death of their beloved mother Addie Bundren, which is the most basic tribute a family can give.
Throughout the whole novel not once did a character mourn or grieve over the death

of their mother Addie Bundren. To some of her children she didn't matter and they didn't care that she died they just wanted her gone and for everyone to realize that she has passed. Darls says, “I cannot love my mother because I have no mother” (89). Only Darl is the first to accept Addie’s inevitable death and the first one to want her buried peacefully. Yet he must constantly deal with his family’s desires and bad planning, which concludes in more agony and eventually his own mental breakdown. Before Addie dies, Darl seems to be her only child who truly understands the factor of what is going on. In fact, he is the only one who ever says “She is going to die” (26). With all obstacles in their path they seem to forget whats important in this picture, the safe arrival of their mother into her hometown of Jefferson. Before the family set off for Jefferson there is a heavy rainstorm that impedes crossing the flooded river and slows the family down. The corpse of Addie Bundren is stuck in the middle of these obstacles and not much seems too matter when the corpse of Addie gets drenched in the river. Darl believed that allowing Addie’s body to disappear will finally let her rest without letting her body decay. “The sound of it has become quite peaceful now,” he says while describing the flames, “Like the sound of the river did” (221).
They are all using this moment of travel as a convenience to there high hopes. Anse is looking to go into town and get himself a new set of teeth and find a new Mrs. Bundren. According to Sadler, “Although consistent with his earlier behavior, the way in which Anse replaces Addie is indeed callous” (66). Dewey Dell is in need of an abortion and goes around town looking for a doctor. “I [Darl] said to Dewey Dell: ‘You want her to die so you can get to town, is that it?’ She wouldn’t say what we both knew” (38). The Bundrens seem to forgot the priority and lean more on ignoring their mothers decaying body. Like Tull says, “A woman that’s been dead in a box four days, the best way to respect her is to get her in the ground as quickly as you can” (116). Cash, who has injured his leg in the river needs to see a doctor because his wound is starting to get infected. Verdamann, the youngest child is looking forward to large toy stores, exotic fruits and bananas he's been told he would receive while in town.
As they arrive to the town of Jefferson, people begin to hold there nose and talk about the un tolerable smell of Addie’s decaying body.

“Great God,” one says; “what they got in that wagon?” (219). While digging, Anse starts talking about money they need and not once did anyone mourn over their dead mother they were finally laying to rest. Two men came to take Darl away for setting the barn on fire. Jewel says, “ Kill him, Kill the son of a bitch” (227). They’re taking him to a mental institution in Jackson. But with Darl gone, the journey doesn’t even culminate in the burial of Addie Bundren. Dewey Dell goes in search for a doctor to abort her baby. In the look out a she finds a man names MacGowan that takes advantage of her and lies to her for sexual relations. Cash ends up with and infection in his foot and ends up getting it cut off by the doctor. Peabody says, “About next summer you can hobble around fine on this leg” (230). There is not trust in their family and it shows when Anse accuses Dewey Dell about lying about the cakes in the package. “Dont you touch it! If you take it your a their.” (245) and Anse responds saying, “My own daughter accuses me of being a thief. My own daughter.”

(245)
All of Addie Bundrens children seem to get payed for their disrespect toward their mothers dead body. Dewey Dell gets lied to and used for sex. Which concludes being stuck pregnant and not married. Darl goes to a mental institution in Jackson for being accused of being crazy and burning the barn. Cash gets his leg amputated by the doctor after a horrible infection. Verdamann loses his fish and Jewel gets stuck in a family he doesn't want to be in. Addie and Jewel had the only loving relationship in the entire novel. Addie only cared about Jewel as she said on her death bed before she died. Jewel states, “.. because if there is a God what the hell is he for.” (15)
Jewel is most caring and selfless of the family. He expresses his anger at Cash for exploiting their mothers death as an opportunity to show off his ability as a carpenter to everyone who came by. He expresses his anger at the entire family for just sitting around and waiting for Addie's death. In a moment Jewel says, "It would just be me and her on a high hill and me rolling rocks down the hill at their faces, picking them up and throwing them down the hill faces and teeth and all by God until she was quiet and not that goddamn adze going One lick less” (15). His wish to be alone with his mother seems fairly selfish, but turns out to be the closest thing to love that is found in the novel.

Jewel is most caring and selfless of the family. He expresses his anger at Cash for exploiting their mothers death as an opportunity to show off his ability as a carpenter to everyone who came by. He expresses his anger at the entire family for just sitting around and waiting for Addie's death. In a moment Jewel says, "It would just be me and her on a high hill and me rolling rocks down the hill at their faces, picking them up and throwing them down the hill faces and teeth and all by God until she was quiet and not that goddamn adze going One lick less” (15). His wish to be alone with his mother seems fairly selfish, but turns out to be the closest thing to love that is found in the novel.