As i lay dying summary and themes by william faulkner

It tells the story of the Bundren family and their journey to bury the matriarch, Addie Bundren. Article written by Emma Baldwin.

As i lay dying themes

Throughout the novel, Faulkner expertly weaves together a tapestry of themes, symbols, and key moments that add depth to the story and provide readers with a thought-provoking narrative. The novel is studied in schools and universities around the world today and is cited as one of the most important and experimental novels of the modernist movement.

Throughout the novel, characters grapple with the looming presence of death, the irreversibility of life, and the ambiguity of what comes next. Despite their inability to express their own thoughts and feelings, each character communicates their emotions in a variety of ways, sometimes through silence or through the use of symbols.

These symbols are used to convey the complexity of their inner lives in a way that words cannot. Throughout the novel, characters struggle with their belief systems and question the power of God. For some, faith helps them to cope with their loss, while others find that faith fails to provide solace in times of sorrow. The novel examines the complexity of faith and how it can be used both to guide and confuse us.

The characters often express their grief, pain, and confusion through their thoughts and actions, creating a pervasive sense of sadness throughout the novel. This technique also gives readers insight into how these characters form their thoughts and perceive the world around them.