Post by kkudlick9 on Oct 13, 2011 5:45:17 GMT -5
In, As I lay dying, the Bundren's are presented as a chaotic family. From the first chapter we know that Addie is dying, but none of the characters seem to portray any healthy emotions, we get the sense that no one cares that their mother/wife is dying. Or if they do show some interest, like Jewel, it's not necessarily because he loves her but because has an unrelenting desire for it to "just be me and her on a high hill and me rolling the rocks down the hill at their faces". He states that he'll do that until "she was quiet", implying that he doesn't want her with him for company, but more over so that he can bring her away from others.
When Addie does die Jewel and Darl are away, Cash is making her coffin, and Anse says "now I can get them teeth". The only two characters that seem to show any compassion towards their mother is Dewey Dell and Vardaman. Dewey Dell is the only one to take a moment to look at her deceased mother, she brings the blanket up over her mother, and smooths it out, showing her care towards her mother. "then without looking at pa, she goes around the bed and leaves the room." This made me wonder, if she has some anger towards her father, so much that she couldn't even look at him. Vardaman then instead of grieving naturally with his mother, insists she "is a fish". Vardman displaces his feelings for his mother onto a fish, just like Jewel did earlier with the horse. All in all the Bundren family doesn't seem to allow themselves to grieve properly for their mother. Vardman also states "He kilt her", could this be directed towards Anse? The connection between these two characters could their anger against the father.
My question is, why does the family show no compassion or grief directly for their mother? And then further, why does Darl want to go and bring Jewel away from the scene? Does anyone else think it could have something to do with the father?
When Addie does die Jewel and Darl are away, Cash is making her coffin, and Anse says "now I can get them teeth". The only two characters that seem to show any compassion towards their mother is Dewey Dell and Vardaman. Dewey Dell is the only one to take a moment to look at her deceased mother, she brings the blanket up over her mother, and smooths it out, showing her care towards her mother. "then without looking at pa, she goes around the bed and leaves the room." This made me wonder, if she has some anger towards her father, so much that she couldn't even look at him. Vardaman then instead of grieving naturally with his mother, insists she "is a fish". Vardman displaces his feelings for his mother onto a fish, just like Jewel did earlier with the horse. All in all the Bundren family doesn't seem to allow themselves to grieve properly for their mother. Vardman also states "He kilt her", could this be directed towards Anse? The connection between these two characters could their anger against the father.
My question is, why does the family show no compassion or grief directly for their mother? And then further, why does Darl want to go and bring Jewel away from the scene? Does anyone else think it could have something to do with the father?