The Death of the Rural South

Paper Summary:

In this article, the writer discusses that the Bundren family in William Faulkner's 'As I Lay Dying', all have their different reactions and coping mechanisms after the death of Addie Bundren, the mother of the family. The writer points out that each of these coping mechanisms represents different levels of success, as well as different levels of symbolic ties to dealing with the slow death of the rural South. The writer maintains that through Faulkner's portrayal of what methods are successful and which are not, the author of the book makes a statement on how Southerners should enter into the new modern world, while leaving their older traditions behind. The writer maintains that the characters of the novel and their methods of dealing with their mother's death prove to have different levels of success and failure. The writer concludes that this story also serves as an allegory for how the rural South can survive outside of it's past.

From the Paper:

"Cash did love his mother very much, but as his lack of intense inner monologue in the book shows that he was a man of very little words. Cash's method of coping with death also proves to be successful, in the idea that he cares but still can manage to partake in necessary tasks. Many would not be able to make a coffin for their own mother, but Cash knows what needs to be done, and does it. His simple nature both in his character and in how he copes with death shows that he will live beyond the end of this book. This is also a successful method Faulkner proposes Southerners to live beyond the death of the old South. By internalize the grief of its death, Southerners would prove to be very successful in a modern world. This would allow them to still feel the pain of their past, but also to focus on the necessities of their future. Action and necessity prove to be one of the most successful methods for entering into a new modern South."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Faulkner, William. As I Lay Dying. Vintage International. New York. 1990.

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