AS I LAY DYING
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As I Lay Dying is a 1930 Southern Gothic novel by American author William Faulkner, published by Johnathon Cape & Harrison Smith. Faulkner's fifth novel, it is consistently ranked among the best novels of the 20th century. The title is derived from William Marris's 1925 translation of Homer’s Odyssey, referring to the similar themes of both works.
The novel uses multiple narrators, and varying chapter lengths. The book is narrated by 15 different characters over 59 chapters. It is the story of the death of Addie Bundren and her poor, rural family's quest to honor her wish to be buried in her hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi, as well as the motives—noble or selfish—they show on the journey.
Faulkner said that he wrote the novel from midnight to 4:00 a.m. over the course of six weeks and that he did not change a word of it. Faulkner spent the first eight hours of his twelve-hour shift at the University of Mississippi Power House shoveling coal or directing other works and the remaining four hours handwriting his manuscript on unlined onionskin paper.
Throughout the novel, Faulkner presents 15 points of view, each chapter narrated by one character, including Addie, who expresses her thoughts after she has already died. In 59 chapters titled only by their narrators' names, the characters are developed gradually through each other's perceptions and opinions, with Darl's predominating.
As I Lay Dying helped to solidify Faulkner's reputation as a pioneer. It was adapted for film in 2013.
AS I LAY DYING
$10.00