PODCAST · arts

As I Lay Dying

by William Faulkner

Addie Bundren's declining health and eventual death prompt her impoverished family to honor her wish to be buried in Jefferson, Mississippi. In the beginning, Addie is alive but deteriorating, watching her son Cash construct her coffin while her husband Anse waits on the porch and daughter Dewey Dell fans her. Following Addie's death, a heavy rainstorm floods the rivers, destroying the bridges necessary to reach Jefferson. William Faulkner employs 15 different points of view throughout the novel, with each chapter narrated by a different character, including Addie, who shares her thoughts posthumously. The 59 chapters, each named after their narrator, gradually flesh out the characters through their perceptions, with Darl's perspective being particularly dominant. Narrative Structure The novel utilizes a unique experimental style: Multiple Perspectives: 15 different narrators share their perceptions across 59 chapters. Posthumous Voice: Addie herself narrates a chapter after her death.