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  • Essay / Analysis of the character of Jewel Bundren in "As I Lay Dying"

    In the novel As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, the members of the Bundren family unite to achieve a goal: to bury Addie's body according to his wishes to Jefferson, Mississippi, . However, despite following his request, the Bundren are secretly motivated to fulfill their selfish ambitions throughout their journey. Along the way, they encounter many problems that delay their journey. Fifteen different characters narrate, offering different perspectives on the events that occur. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay William Faulkner uses multiple narrators in As I Lay Dying, a technique that allows him to illustrate different states of mind about events and ethical questions. The motivations of some narrators are clear: Dewey Dell is determined to have an abortion, for example, and Vardaman longs for a toy train and bananas. Jewel is more difficult to understand and is the only member of the Bundren family who does not give any personal narration after Addie's death. Because the reader can only understand Jewel through the stories of others, she may be particularly confused as to why Jewel would help Anse, a man with whom he is neither biologically nor affably related, by abandoning the horse which has long been its only outlet. for expressions of love. The explanation is that Jewel realizes that he must compromise his principles to achieve anything, and that he becomes increasingly willing to question his immediate reaction to situations. In order to understand Jewel's final decision to help Anse, one must examine the relationship between Jewel and her two. mother and horse. The filial relationship between Jewel and Addie is unique both emotionally and genetically. While Cash, Darl, Vardaman, and Dewey Dell are all Anse and Addie's children, Jewel is the child of Addie's affair with Father Whitfield. As such, Addie prefers Jewel over all the other children. Addie even admits to Cora that Jewel “is [her] cross and he will be [her] salvation.” He will save [her] from water and fire” (168). On the other hand, Addie's opinion towards Cash and the rest of her children is highlighted in Addie's own narration when Addie states, "And when I knew I had Cash, I I knew that living was terrible and that this was the answer. » (171). Addie viewed having children with Anse as both punishment and preparation for death, as opposed to something to derive pleasure and love from. Nonetheless, as a mother, Addie knew she had to treat all of her children equally and hated herself and Jewel in a way that forced her to deceive others into believing she loved them all. also when love was a word she couldn't even say. to understand. In this sense, Addie "whipped" Jewel further, disciplining him to compensate for her overexpressed love for him. Since Jewel's only source of love was that masked by Addie's anger, Jewel learned to love in this way as well. For her horse, Jewel's "tough love" is the reciprocation of her mother's "teachings." Jewel's treatment of the animal he purchased with his own money with curses and pokes mixed with loot and treats is Jewel's highest form of expression of love. Jewel's love for her mother is evident in her only "dedicated" narration to Addie. Although Jewel's hostile propensity is quite apparent, her underlying intentions of wanting the best for her mother are evident. Jewel goes so far as to wish that "it would just be [him] and her on a high hill and [him] rolling the stones down.".