Dewey Dell In William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying

1171 Words5 Pages
William Faulkner creates a setting within As I Lay Dying where objective truth does not exist and is dependent on individual perception. Using the narrative technique of stream of consciousness, Faulkner enables the reader to overcome the inadequacies of language, giving the a glimpse of psyche of the characters. Throughout the novel, there is a tension between the perceived analysis of characters, based on words and actions, and their inner feelings, thoughts and motivations. Almost as though, the body and words are the hiding the truth. Within the labyrinth of perspectives, Dewey Dell’s character and personality are developed; unlike the coy and naive girl she is played out to be, there lies great depth in her character when the text is analyzed. Dewey Dell is the fourth child and the only daughter of the Bundren family. Essentially born to negate Jewel’s sinful birth. Dewey Dell’s life seems as though it is predestined to be full of loneliness and negativity. To make things worse, she is pregnant in a manner that, to the social taboos of the…show more content…
“You’ll just have to wait. What you got in you aint nothing to what I got in me, even if you are a woman too.” She follows me moaning. Then the dead, hot, pale air breathes on my face again. He could fix it all right, if he just would. And he dont even know it. The cow breathes upon my hips and back, her breathe warm, sweet, stertorous, moaning. The sky lies flat down the slope, upon the secret clumps. Beyond the hill sheet-lightning stains upward and fades. The dead air shapes the dead earth in the dead darkness, further away than seeing shapes the dead earth. It lies dead and warm upon me, touching me naked through my clothes. I said You dont know what worry is. I dont know what it is. I dont know whether I am worrying or not. Whether I can or not. I dont know whether I can cry or not. I dont know whether I have tried to or not. I feel like a wet seed wild in the hot blind earth

More about Dewey Dell In William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying

Open Document