"As I Lay Dying"

Paper Summary:

This paper explores the various themes in William Faulkner's novel "As I Lay Dying". The writer believes that the dead central character is typically thematic of voodoo cultures that existed in Mississippi's colorful history. Another theme explored is that of the oral tradition in the old South, where the writer looks at the folklore and cultures of the people living in Mississippi. The paper also explores the overall theme of death and dying.

From the Paper:

""As I Lay Dying" is a unique novel in that there is no discernable protagonist. In lieu of the protagonist is a corpse, Addie, who is dead for most of the book. The novel is written in the first person, from the perspective of Addie and her family, although the perspective shifts for most of the chapters between Addie's self-interested family members with Addie herself only contributing one chapter. Addie's dying wish is to be buried in Jackson, and the story is about how she makes it there. Although Addie is not alive for much of the novel, her son Jewell reflects her interests after she's dead and acts as her legacy."

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