Relationship Parallels to AILD

[jqueller9]

In Long Day's Journey Into Night, O'neill constructs a hostile relationship between Tyrone and Jamie similar to that of Anse and Jewel in Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. Tyrone has clear disdain for Jamie, claiming that all he does is "sneer at every damned thing in the world--except [himself]" (O'neill 32). Tyrone's repeated insults have no dramatic effect on Jamie; instead he stays calm, choosing not to indulge his father. "All right, Pap. I'm a bum. Anything you like, so long as it stops the argument" (33). Faulkner sets up a similar relationship in As I Lay Dying. Anse criticizes Jewel and undermines his condition, saying, "He's just lazy, trying me" (129). When Anse denies that Jewel is sick and demands that he work, Jewel passively agrees, repeatedly saying, "I'm all right" (130). These relationships are mere power struggles, in which the father abuses the son in order to inflate his own self-worth.

The parallel continues with the role of the mother. Mary responds to Tyrone's critiques by saying, "Now don't start in on poor Jamie, dear" (18). Addie defends Jewel, as well. She even challenges Anse's order that Jewel continue to work, urging him to take the day off (129). In both works, the connection between mother and son is greater than that of father and son, and may even be stronger than the connection between husband and wife. Both O'neill and Faulkner have the mother take the son's side, casting her in a better light, which demonstrates their respect for mothers and condemnation of fathers.

[kmehta9]

Addie from Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying and Mary from O’Neill’s Long Day’s Journey into Night can additionally be paralleled with each other because of their negative reactions following at least one of their child’s births. After Addie had Cash, she was not pleased that “[her] aloneness had been violated,” especially since not even Anse had violated it before (Faulkner 172). After Mary had Edmund, her hair began to turn white; it is clear that Mary was upset by this event because she was “again pleased and embarrassed” when Tyrone said, “And [your white hair] made it prettier than ever” (O’Neill 28). Also, because Mary stopped smiling and became self-conscious when Jamie was staring at her, she automatically assumed that something was wrong with her white hair. “Her hands flutter up to her hair,” and she said, “Is my hair coming down? It’s hard for me to do it up properly now” (20). While Addie was sadden that her alone time had been disturbed by Cash’s birth, Mary was unhappy that her hair turned white because of Edmund’s birth.

[jsipe9]

Jamie and Jewel can also be parralled, as they are described with similar character traits. Jewel in As I Lay Dying is presented as a hostile young man with quite a temper and a tendency toward the use foul language, which is commonly directed at his own family. In the first character description of Jamie in A Long Day's Journey into Night, O'Neill writes that Jamie's face wears a "habitual expression of cynicism" and that it is a rare occurrence "when he smiles without sneering" (O'Neill 19). The similarities between the two young men continues with their strained relationships with their fathers. Growing up, Jewel suffered through constant condescending scoldings from Anse, just as Jamie must listen to the demeaning rants from his father about work, alcohol, women, and family. Within the first scene of the play, Jamie is being chided by his father as James declares, "If you weren't my son, there isn't a manager in the business who would give you a part, your reputation stinks so. As it is, I have to humble my pride and beg for you, saying you've turned over a new leaf, although I know it's a lie" (31-32)! Jewel and Jamie are both rather cynical characters that must endure the cruel chastisement of their father-figures.

[willhogge11]

I think that there is also a parallel between Jaimie and Jewel for another reason. Both characters seem to be viewed as the 'odd one out' or the outsider of the family. Jewel, of course, is not Anse's son, but even with this, he is the one that is completely separated from the rest of the family. Edmund is described as "Thin and wirey and plainly in bad health" (O'Neil 19-20). His father and brother are much stronger than him, and feel that he is not capable of taking care of himself. Tyrone lashes out at Jaimie for steering him in the wrong direction as a youth, thus saying that Edmund is not strong enough or capable of taking care of himself. Both Anse and Tyrone also have no patience for the exotic world-views of their respective sons. Tyrone shouts at Edmund "Keep your damned Socialist anarchist sentiments out of my affairs"(O'Neill 25)! Obviously Edmund is not an anarchist, but, like Jewel, his views and opinions are different ferom those around him, and he is therefore ridiculed and isolated from his family, especially his father.