Some Final Thoughts on As I Lay Dying

As we finish discussing As I Lay Dying in class, I'd just like to say that this book is confusing! Throughout the novel, I tried to have some sympathy for Anse. For example, when Addie revealed her affair with Whitfield and her reason for marrying Anse, I felt bad for the poor guy. I admit that I almost began to like him after he explained his theory about upright things being meant to stay in place. There were also some points in the book where I felt like Anse might be bringing Addie to her family burial grounds to fulfill her dying wish (not just to get them teeth). At those rare times, I was sympathetic towards Anse. Alas, after finishing As I Lay Dying, I have lost all my sympathy for Anse.

On his "heroic" journey, Anse ruins the lives of all his children. Jewel loses his horse, Cash basically loses a leg, Vardaman loses Darl, Darl gets sent to a mental institution, and Dewey Dell never solves her problem (it seems like it actually gets worse). This doesn't seem fair, as Anse probably would not have survived the journey on his own; the kids did most of the work. The only one who does not suffer from the trip is Anse.

The thing that bothers me most about Anse is the fact that even though he is quite useless on the journey and creates problems for his children, he is the one who ultimately ends up on top. He is the only one who benefits from the trip to town. By going to Jefferson, Anse is able to bury Addie and keep his promise to her. In addition, he gets his teeth (using Dewey Dell's money, of course). He also manages to find a new wife. I know it's probably convenient for Anse to find a woman while he's in town, but it almost seems like he's mocking Addie by finding a new Mrs. Bundren so soon after losing the first one. I find it even more insulting towards Addie that Anse borrows spades to bury her from the new Mrs. Bundren.    

On the whole, I don't think I can feel sympathetic towards Anse, much less consider him heroic.  

Addie

Addie's chapter in As I Lay Dying is interesting because it reveals a few dark secrets (like the identity of Jewel's true father) and tells the backstories of some of the other characters. After I read her chapter, I began to view the whole book differently. Before I read Addie's chapter, I didn't know much about her; she was dying and the other characters did not really talk about her, though they talked about Anse and the children.  

When I first started reading As I Lay Dying, I thought Addie was a loving mother and the center of the Bundren family. I thought that Anse and the kids were making the journey for her because she was a caring family member and they wanted to fulfill her dying wish. After reading Addie's chapter I was a bit shocked. For some reason, I didn't see Addie as the type of character who would enjoy beating kids. I knew she did not like Anse, but I didn't think she would have an affair with Whitfield.

Looking back, I guess it shouldn't have come as such a surprise that Addie was morally corrupt and that she was not the kind character I expected her to be. After all, she refused to look at Anse in her dying moments. Once I read Addie's chapter, I felt like Addie was playing a cruel joke on Anse by forcing him to embark on a difficult journey to take her to her family's burial grounds. The journey caused many family members to suffer in some way. Cash broke his leg, Jewel burned his back, and Anse had to sacrifice a lot to buy a new pack of mules. All in all, this chapter completely ruined my impression of Addie.