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Betrayal In William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying

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Betrayal is defined as, “an act of deliberate disloyalty" (vocabulary.com). In William Faulkner’s book, As I Lay Dying, there is a lot of betrayal between the Bundren family. From, Addie having an affair to most of her family travelling to Jefferson for selfish reasons. The Bundren family is a lying and selfish family. Most of the characters betray Addie specifically in many ways. For example, Anse betrayed her by not even waiting ten minutes after burying her to go and find himself a new wife. Betrayal is a large part of their lives. Dewey Dell is like her mother in many ways. However, she too betrays Addie and Addie’s last request.
Dewey Dell Bundren a lot like her mother in a variety of ways, but specifically in the way of being tricked and becoming pregnant. Laefe, her boyfriend, basically tricked her into having sex with him which resulted in her becoming …show more content…

Dewey Dell did not regret the decision of going to Jefferson for selfish reasons. She regretted trying to get an abortion from the “doctor” she went to see. Most people would understand her decision, but that should not have been her main focus of her trip. Dewey Dell and her mother never really speak before Addie dies, but she was still Dewey’s mother. A death of a family member, even one a person is not close to, is still a sad occasion and said family member should be given a proper burial. Addie’s actual burial is barely even touched on in the book. “So when we stopped there to borrow the shovels we heard the graphophone playing in the house, and so when we got done with the shovels pa says, “I reckon I better take them back.”” (258). The Bundren family fulfilled Addie’s wish to be buried in Jefferson, but at the same time betrayed her by quickly burying her and moving right along with their lives. Dewey Dell did end of having the child, but along the journey to said child being born she betrayed her

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