Sunday, March 7, 2010
As I Lay Dying: Perspectives of Peripheral Characters
While most of the interior monologues in Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying come from Bundren family members, an expression of their innermost thoughts, others come from the viewpoint of outsiders—peripheral characters— who observe and comment on the actions of the Bundrens. Such characters are either the Bundren’s neighbors or townsfolk. Using a single monologue of one of the eight peripheral voices in the novel (Cora Tull, Tull, Samson, Armstid, Whitfield, Doc Peabody, Moseley, or MacGowan), carefully analyze it in terms of the following: (1) The view of or attitude toward the Bundrens , (2) Relationship of the character to the Bundrens,and (3)How what the character says affects the reader’s perspective of the Bundrens. Your response should not exceed 250 words and must be posted no later than 9 am, March 18, 2010. BE SURE TO SIGN YOUR POST.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Vernon Tull-- Tull views the Bundrens as less then him, he does help them out buy giving some of them odd jobs and helping them cross the river. but outwardly he is hostlie. he is the bundrens nieghbor but he does not like them and they do not like him. he does help them but they do not appreciate it at all. it casts the bundrens in a very negitive light, it remeinds us that some of them can be ver backwards and in modern terms what would be called white trash.
ReplyDeletePeabody-Doctor Peabody is a seventy year old man that everyone calls on when they are sick and need help. There is a bad storm approaching/occurring in town, yet the Bundrens need him to come to their home. When he speaks about the Bundrens, particularly Anse, he calls him a 'luckless' man. The way he is treated by the Bundrens when he has come the whole way from his home in the storm is rather ridiculous. The doctor says that he is seventy years old and overweight and they still want him to climb up a very large hill to get to the house. He obviously does not have much respect for the family, neither does he hold them in high regard. They left their mother, who died, laying in a bed for days. The Bundrens truly look like terrible people from the words of Doctor Peabody.
ReplyDeletePaige Coleman
Whitfield is the minister whom with Addie had an affair. The result of the affair was the birth of Jewel. In Whitfield's monologue, Whitfield plans on going to the Bundren's house and confessing to Anse Bundren that he had had an affair with his wife. When Whitfield gets to the house, he finds that Addie has already died and that there is no reason to confess the affair anymore. Whitfield believes that the mere intention of confessing is good enough in the eyes of God. This just goes to show that Anse will never find out who Addie had an affair with. Whitfield is the minister of the town, who's job it is to follow what the bible tells him but he is unable to do it himself. Whitfield is able to keep his preserve his status as the minister because nobody will ever know about the affair. He lucked out because he would have lost his job if people had found out he was the cause of a woman's affair.
ReplyDeleteAustin Wilson
Cora is the wife of Tull and is the wealthy neighbor to the Bundrens. She views Darl as the sweet loving son of Addie and different from the other Bundrens. She says, “I always knew he was the only one of them that had his mother’s nature, had any natural affection.” She sees Darl as the emotional one and Jewel as the spoiled jerk of the family. She belittles him saying “Not him to come and tell her goodbye. Not him to miss a chance to make that extra three dollars at the price of his mother’s goodbye kiss.” Her view of them as a whole is that they are bums they always want the easy way out which is represented when she says “A Bundren through and through, loving nobody, caring for nothing except how to get something with the least amount of work.” What Cora says about the Bundrens affects the reader’s perspective of them because it happens early within the novel. It gives the reader a realistic idea of what the Bundren are like and sets up how the reader will view the Bundrens throughout the novel. It also gives the reader one example of many of the Bundrens that are true and will evolve throughout the rest of the novel especially her thoughts on Darl and Jewel.
ReplyDeleteCora implies that the boys are concerned with earning the next dollar more so than making sure Addie's wishes are met by insuring the proper Christian burial next to her family. She speaks highly of Darl and how his mother loved him: "I saw that with Jewel she had just been pretending, but that it was between her and Darl that the understanding and the true love was." Cora really is critical with Addie regarding Jewel; furthermore, she kind of condemns Addie later in the novel for thinking she is right with the lord and not being humble enough. Cora is Vernon's wife. Her religious beliefs seem to maker her an extremely judgmental person. This should be noted when considering how she affects the way we view the Bundren family. She is the Bundren's neighbor and appears to be as helpful as she can in her own way. dm
ReplyDeleteCora’s disapproval of Addies attitude and opinion on religion becomes prominent. She remembers this conversation that she had had with her, and she had told her how it was not her place to say what is right and wrong, that it was God’s job to do so. Addie seemed to show more love for Jewel then to God. Cora tells her she must open up her heart to God, but she doesn’t so Cora gets down on one knee and prays for her. Cora also tells her that Jewel is her punishment, and that she ought not to judge because that is God to do not her. This affects the readers perspective because it gives them a sense on how religion is not as much of a determining factor as it is to for example Cora. Cora is one of Addies biggest critics in the story.
ReplyDeleteCait Fulcher
The character Armstid’s view of the Bundren family becomes clear through his monologue. Armstid is a farmer and the Bundren’s stop at his house on the way to Jefferson. Armstid not thrilled that they are going to be staying with him for the night, but he thinks that is the Christian thing to do. He is thinking at one poin the would rather they were not there at all. At first it seems the Bundrens do not appreciate Armstid letting them stay there. They continue to reject Armstid’s offers to come in the house to eat and sleep. Anse refuses to use Armstid’s team of mules after his own mules drowned. Armstid is trying to be a good person and do everything he can to help the Bundren family even though he would rather be doing other things. The family tells him they appreciate it, but you get the feeling that they are stubborn. They think they can manage without any help even though numerous unfortunate events have happened to them on this trip.
ReplyDeleteHeather Mitchell
It is evident through Tull's monologue that he does not care for the Bundren family very much. He strongly believes that he and his family are superior to them and are of higher class even though they are neighbors. Tull constantly bashes Mr. Bundren and how he lives his life. The way Tull talks about Mr. Bundren makes it seem like it gives him a sense of pleasure and satisfaction in down talking him. The fact he and his family have been helping the Bundrens only boosts his ego more. The way that Tull talks of the Bundrens make me picture them as low lives that barely have enough money to get around and rely/mooch off of other people.
ReplyDeleteBrian Ricks
Cora - In Cora's opening monologue she seems for the most part to have a lot of respect for Addie. Obviously, Cora is a baker; her monologue begins with her talking about cakes she baked. But she also says that there isn’t a woman in town who can compare to cakes that Addie bakes. She even says that the first thing Addie will do when better is bake again. It’s funny to see though, that while respecting Addie, she has no respect for Addie's daughter, Jewel. Cora actually refers to Jewel as a tomboy girl. Of course, this is not a great connotation to have. In another monologue, you see just how much disgust that Cora seems to hold for Jewel. The conversation comes about religion. It appears through the conversation that Addie wasn’t much for religion. Cora on the other hand is quite emphatic about religion. Cora scolds Addie almost for trying to judge and decide what is and isn’t sin. At least, that’s what Cora rants about. And Cora actually holds the audacity to say that Jewel is a punishment to Addie. Addie’s daughter is a punishment? Cora appears to be the master of hypocrisy, because she just judged Jewel. Something she had just said needs to be reserved for God.
ReplyDelete-Danny Vivenzio
In an early monologue, Cora pities Addie because Cora believes that Darl is the only Bundren who cares for Addie. Cora is Addie’s neighbor and spends most of her time with Addie during Addie’s final days so Addie will not be alone. Cora thinks that Jewel is ungrateful to Addie, after all Addie did for him. Cora sees all the members of the Bundren family, except Darl as people who love nobody, caring for nothing except how to get something with the least amount of work. Cora is very judgmental which is interesting considering how Cora is such a religious woman and criticizes Addie’s religious beliefs. Cora’s views of the family have the ability to greatly influence the reader. Cora’s monologue is one of the first monologues that comes from a character outside the family in the novel. She is also the first female perspective that the reader comes across in the novel.
ReplyDeleteKristen Whitaker
Cora- Cora is a baker, who in general seems to have respect for Addie, despite Addie’s outlook on religion. However, in the story Cora is also one of Addie’s biggest critics; Cora confronts Addie about her love for Jewel, Addie’s daughter in comparison to Addie’s love for God. Cora seems to be outwardly considered about Addie’s salvation, she expresses that Addie should have an open heart to God and offers her prayer. I think what Cora says and her actions towards Addie’s views of religion might affect the reader’s of this story’s perspective of the Bundrens because it reflects that Addie does not have a strong relationship with God and her Salvation could be at risk. In general most people of the American South represent different denominations of the Christian Church, and the concept of salvation and life after death is something to be upheld to insure ones entrance in to heaven.
ReplyDeleteFaran Brady
Cora is a very religious and passionate woman, but she is also judgmental. She tells Addie that it is not her place to decide what is right and wrong and that God must decide this. However Cora has never been shy to share her opinion an Addie. And most of the time Cora thinks that Addie goes about things the wrong way. Cora even goes as far as to say that Jewel is a bad person and a punishment for Addie. This is rather ironic coming from Cora after she chastises Addie about how only God can judge what’s right and wrong. However Cora also expresses her positive feelings for Darl essentially saying he’s the good kid in the family. At one point Cora gets down on her knees and prays for Addie, however it is difficult to tell if this is a sincere gesture or just an act to show that she is a better Christian than Addie. All in all Cora is a very honest person, she does not think highly of her neighbors, the Bundrens, but she honestly wants the best for them.
ReplyDelete-Alex Fisher