Aim: What do the characters’ voices reveal about

themselves in As I Lay Dying?Do Now: William Faulkner once said, “Given the choice between the experience of pain

and nothing, I would choose pain.” Would you agree with him? Explain.HW: Read to p. 52. 1. Why does Darl

repeatedly ask Jewel if he knows that Addie Bundren is going to die?2. How does Darl

seem to know what others don’t?

Darl Bundren

How would you describe Darl’s narrative style?

What can we gather about Darl’s character?

Jewel Bundren In Darl’s narrative, what do you we learn

about Jewel’s relationship with his horse? How does Jewel’s narrative differ from Darl’s? What issue does Jewel have with Cash? How does Jewel feel about his mother?

Cora Tull The Bundren’s neighbor How does Cora’s narrative style differ from

Darl’s? Cora’s narrative give us a description of

Addie. She also states, “First thing we know she’ll be up and baking.” Do you believe her?

Addie Bundren How does the atmosphere of Addie’s impending death

affect the characters? How would it affect you?

How are the various children—Jewel, Cash, Darl—coping with their mother’s impending and actual death?

Why does Addie want to be buried in Jefferson? What does this imply?

Dewey Dell “…he is not kin to us in caring, not care-kin.” p. 26

To whom is Dewey Dell referring? Why does she making this statement?

“…and I will turn up the next row but if the sack is full, I cannot help it.” p. 27 What decision does Dewey Dell make based her sack being

full? How does her sack become full? What is another way in which that statement now has

meaning How does Darl know about Dewey Dell’s situation?

Faulkner’s Style The last line on p. 20, “As you enter the hall,

they sound as though they were speaking out of the air about your head.” How does this line possibly describe Faulkner’s narrative style?