As I Lay Dying: The Heroically Clownish Bundrens
The Heroically Clownish Bundrens Through a myriad of interior monologues and shifting perspectives, William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying follows the dysfunctional Bundren family as try to fulfill Addie's dying wish. Told through the perspectives of the Bundrens, their neighbors, and seemingly unrelated outsiders, Faulkner's story paints a very complex and disturbing picture of the Bundren family, revealing both the dignity and absurdity of each member. This blog aims to analyze Faulkner's portrayal of the Bundrens, explaining how he paints them as tragically heroic yet clownish goobers. The neighbors' and outsiders' perspectives further highlight the absurdity of the Bundrens, criticizing the family for their peculiar, foolish, and often pointless behavior. Seeing the Bundrens' efforts to transport Addie's body as misguided and sinful, Cora Tull...
