In the novel, "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner, Faulkner uses Addie's death to explore the complex relationships between the characters and the different ways in which they cope with mortality. Addie’s death is the trigger that sets everything into motion and the trip to Jefferson shows how each character dealt with her death differently. Death is a continuing theme in "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner. Addie’s death affects all of her children for better and for worse and causes an unintentional effect on them. At first, when she is declared dead, the reaction is very small. However, as the novel progresses, the effect becomes bigger and so do their reactions. Vardaman’s childhood, Darl’s sanity, and Dewey Dell’s innocence are all consequences of their mother’s death. The novel states, “My father said that the reason for living is getting ready to stay dead” (175). Even though Addie’s children didn’t die, her children all lost pieces of themselves along the way to Jefferson. The death of Addie Bundren sets off a chain of events that ultimately reveals the true nature of the characters and their relationships with one another. The novel is told from the perspective of fifteen different …show more content…
Many of the incidents after Addie’s death reflect this feeling that some part of Addie is still living. Even the stench of Addie’s corpse captivates a large audience of strangers. Addie's death is among the most emotionally powerful ideas presented in the novel. Her death forces the characters to confront these feelings head-on and to come to terms with the inevitability of death. Through these reactions, the book explores the complex nature of grief and the different ways that people cope with loss. It also highlights the way that death can bring out the worst in people and expose the flaws in their