As I Lay Dying Socratic Seminar

1. To what extent are the themes of this novel universal? Is this story for the American
   South or a larger audience? How do you know?
   The themes within here can apply mostly pertain to a Southern audience. The themes included in "As I Lay Dying" are extensialism, the concept of a journey, and change. Each of these aspects helps the characters in this book to change overtime- as they question the purpose of life, struggle to conquer obstacles as they follow a path, and learn to accept new proponents in life (such as pregnancy, death, and physical/ mental challenges in traveling on a path). I know that this is aimed at a Southern audience, because Faulkner is critiquing the traditionalist views of Southern society. He uses Addie to mock religion- as Southerners have strict religious standards, and makes Southern living seem unfair and immoral. 
   
   
   
   
   
2. Is Tull and Jewel's search in the river for Cash's tools an act of love or obligation?
   Tull and Jewel's search for Cash's tools in the river seem to be an act out of obligation. I think this because while Cash was hurt, all he wanted was his tools. While he was trying to recover from a broken leg, he kept asking for his tools. Even though Tull shared a strong connection with Cash, it seems like Tull has changed throughout the course of the book and is more concerned with himself than others (especially in the way that he burns down the barn). Additionally, Jewel never seemed to care for Cash, because Cash did not respect Addie as much and built her coffin right in front of her. 
   
   
   
   
   
3. Addie meditates on the distance between words and actions. Is Faulkner saying that words—his own chosen medium—are inadequate? What do Addie's definitions say about her as a woman?
   Faulkner may possibly be suggesting that his words are inadequate. He uses a different style of language throughout his passage, refers to the theme of extentialism- questioning the purpose of life- ultimately suggesting that not everything he says should be taken literally. 
    Addie's passage, she questions the meaning behind life and what the purpose is in even living if everyone dies eventually in the end. Throughout her passage she seems sort of distant, as she narrates her life story. Readers don't feel a strong connection to Addie, and can sense that her only role in life is to provide children from her family. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
4. Humor and the grotesque are often interdependent in this novel, such as Vardaman's accidental drilling of holes in his dead mother's face so she can breathe, the family setting Cash's broken leg in cement and the family's apparent imperviousness to the stench of Addie's rotting corpse. What are other examples? What was your reaction to such moments?
   
   Another example of humor and the grotesque is when Darl burned the barn that had Addie's body in it. Even though this is absurd and shows the extreme change that Darl has gone through throughout the book. In the beginning of the book, Darl had practical mindset and a good sense of logic. He was able to interpret different sides of stories by revealing how other's felt. However, he no longer seems to care about how others feel as he is willing to burn Addie's body. This is sort of humorous in a way because the body smells so bad, and Darl is the only one willing to get rid of it. 
   
   
   
5. The Bundrens must endure a number of obstacles on their way to Jefferson. To what extent are the elements against them, and to what extent do they sabotage themselves?
   There are several elements that were working against the Bundrens on their way to Jefferson. For instance, they have to cross a flooded river, their mules die (that are pulling a wagon carrying Addie's body), Dewey Dell can't get an abortion treatment, and Darl burns down the barn. In each of these situations, the Bundrens sabotage themselves by making things worse. For instance, they all risk their lives by crossing the river and Cash even breaks his leg. But when Cash breaks his leg, they refuse to take him to the doctor and make things work by trying to set his leg with cement. And when they lose the mules, the Bundrens try to solve the situation by selling Jewel's horse. However, Jewel refuses to sell his horse and makes situations worse by running away. The family then must borrow mules in order to make the trip to Jefferson. 
   
   
6. What compels loyalty in this family? What are the ways in which that loyalty is betrayed? Who do you feel makes the ultimate sacrifice for the family? Overall, do you find this novel to be hopeful or pessimistic? Share your comments. 
   Loyalty to bring Addie to Jefferson is only compelled by each family member's personal desire to go into town. Anse wants to go into town so that he can get his wooden teeth, Dewey Dell wants an abortion, Cash wants more tools, and Vardaman wants a train. Therefore they betray Addie because they are only fulfilling their selfish desires to go to town, and are not concerned with bringing Addie to her grave. Darl even tries to burn Addie's coffin because he is tired of his family's behavior and everything going on. However Jewel makes the ultimate sacrifice and runs into the barn to save Addie's coffin- he is the only one concerned with pleasing Addie. I thought that this novel was very pessimistic- it put the South in a negative light in a way as it mocked traditional values- regarding religion, maternal and familial roles.
   

Falkner's Characters

In as I Lay Dying, Darl is the main character who goes through the most change and development.  In the beginning of the book, Darl seems to have a good understanding of what is surrounding him and who he is. He describes things as they are, and has a good perspective on things. His ability to communicate with other characters telepathically also gives the audience a sense of what is going on in the story and makes his opinions seem more valid  (as he gives more context behind what is going on in different situations). However, as the book continues, Darl seems to question who he is. Darl has trouble processing Addie's death, and questions his existence and the purpose of life. His thoughts are more scattered and confusing, as he struggles to process the realities of life. This change in mindset relates to the theme of existentialism- in which a person questions their existence and the point of living. 

The Interview Genre

In the interviews, the speakers all share personal experiences from their lives. While sharing their stories with the audience, the speakers reveal their emotions and feelings in the interviews. In all the interviews, the speakers' different tones of voices convey how they truly felt in different situations. They are able to connect with the audience this way, as listeners can truly understand how much of an impact a scenario had on an individual's life. Listeners can get a sense of the speaker's personality, and live in the speaker's story. For instance, in the story "Here in the States, I don't even know how to talk to people..." the speaker tells the story in which he shot an innocent man in Afghanistan. The speaker shares the psychological trauma that he went through after shooting the man, and how this affected his mentality as a "murderer". The speaker's sincerity on the topic and genuine concern for the man he killed is evident in the way that he tells his story- his voice sounds sorrowful and his wife elaborates the emotional trauma that he went through.

"As I Lay Dying" Partner Questions

1. What characters seem isolated? How are they isolated, despite all being reunited? What

might Faulkner be exploring?

Jewel:

• We see that Jewel is isolated in the beginning of the book, when Darl discusses their differences. 
• "Still staring straight ahead, his pale eyes like wood set into his wooden face, he crosses the floor in four strides with the rigid gravity of a cigar store Indian dressed in patched overalls and endued with life from the hips down, and steps in a single stride through the opposite window and into the path again just as I come around the corner. In single file and five feet apart and Jewel now in front, we go on up the path toward the foot of the bluff.

• Jewel was also singled out as Addie's favorite, and caused her to act deceitful in order to protect him- which was against her morals (this was when he was getting his horse, and nobody knew where he was. 
• Jewel is on his horse while the rest of the family is on the wagon with Addie, bringing her to her family's cemetery  

Anse:

• Anse doesn't like to work- this separates him from the rest of the family
• He does not have a strong bond with Addie: 
• When Addie dies, she does not even look at her husband- she looks at her son instead- clearly there is no special connection between Addie and Anse
• "She lies back and turns her head without so much as glancing at pa. Shelooks at Vardaman; her eyes, the life in them, rushing suddenly upon them; the two flames glare up for a steady instant. Then they go out as though someone had leaned down and blown upon them."

• Explore Cash’s chapter, which is simply a list of thirteen items. Why has Faulkner structured this chapter like this?
• Faulkner has structured this passage as a list in order to show how Cash's motive for going in town is to buy supplies- he's not so concerned with Addie's burial 

• How does the narrative structure of this novel represent time? How is time passing in this novel? 

Double Voice Poems - Cassandra and Alyssa group work

Voice #1:
I am born
I am healthy
I can feel new sensations and feelings
My heart pumps limitless amounts of blood to my new organs
My eyes open up and my brain struggles to process images
I take my first breath
I am born into a new world

Voice #2:

I am dying
I am ill
I have forgotten how to feel alive
My heart fails to pump blood to my dying organs
My life flashes before my eyes
I take my last breath
I am born into a new world

Argumentative Prompt

Many schools now offer bonus points on tests and final averages to students who participate in charity drives and other organizations. Many teachers believe that offering bonus points to students will encourage them to participate in a good cause and provide them with the opportunity to raise their grades. However, many parents believe that this sends a morally wrong message. This is due to the fact that students would only be raising money for charities in order to improve their grades- not to support the charity.  As a whole, teachers should not rewards students with bonus points for donating to charity because it sends a morally wrong message and takes away the meaning of giving/ reaching out to others.

When teachers encourage students to support charities by rewarding them with bonus points, they are sending morally wrong messages to their students. Even though students may be benefitting charities, they do not truly understand the significance of contributing to a charity. Students are only motivated to help charities in order to boost their grades- they are not donating out of the kindness of their hearts. There is something significant about donating to a charity, without receiving recognition or rewards. When a person donates to a charity, he/ she is doing so because he/ she truly supports this cause and wants to support it. This individual feels compelled to donate, and truly wants to make an impact in the world. When students donate to charities in order to receive points, the meaning and sacrifice that it might take to donate money or items is taken away from charities. Students may not be as likely to donate to charities later on in life if there is no "reward" for them. They may not understand the concept behind donating, and truly supporting a cause. 

"As I Lay Dying" Free Write

Rain...cool spring days, flowers, life, cleansing, soothing, refreshing, and new beginnings. Rain is symbolic; people tend to associate it with so many different elements in life. In nature, rain is a naturally occurring event that contributes to the water cycle. It helps nourish plants and animals, circulate seasons, bring an end to drought, etc. However, humans tend to associate it with so many different aspects in life. It has a different meaning for each and every individual that exists on this planet. For instance, a tribe in Africa may see the rain as a gift from their "Rain God". Rain brings an end to possible drought, and promises the start of a new season for crops, which brings life. In contrast, Christians may associate rain with the great Flood in the Bible. In the story of Noah's ark, excessive rain represents God's wrath- a punishment for the disobedience of the people. The rain cleanses the earth of sin, and allows Noah to start a new civilization. For other people, rain may be comforting. The soft patter of rainfall has the ability to calm one's senses, and relieve them from any stress they may be experiencing. In a sense, it has a spiritual element to it- in which one may relax and connect to nature. 

"As I Lay Dying" Chapter 12

In Chapter 12, Darl is the narrator and reveals what occurs when Addie dies. During this scene, the different levels of the relationships that Addie had with each of her family members were revealed. It is clear that Addie never had a strong relationship with her husband, Anse. When Addie is about to take her last breath, she does not even look at Anse. Instead she turns to look at her son, Vardaman: "She lies back and turns her head without so much as glancing at pa. She looks at Vardaman; her eyes, the life in them, rushing suddenly upon them; the two flames glare up for a steady instant. Then they go out as though someone had leaned down and blown upon them." Clearly Addie never had an intense connection with her husband, as she does not even glance at him when she is about to die. Peabody suggests this relationship in an earlier chapter too, when he states that Addie has been dead for years- as she is married to Anse: "I  suppose it's having been a part of Anse for so long that she cannot even make that change, if change it be. I can remember how when I was young I believed death to be a phenomenon of the body; now I know it to be merely a function of the mind and that of the minds of the ones who suffer the bereavement." According to Peabody, one can feel as if they are dead when they do not receive love or care for another individual. Peabody seems to believe that this is what happened to Addie. 
Although it is not indicated that Addie ever had a strong relationship with Darl, he is the one who narrates the death scene. Even though Darl was not present when Addie died, he is the best character to narrate the scene. This is due to the fact that Darl is very honest with what occurs, and open to the feelings of those around him. When Darl narrates, he fully describes what occurs and how others feel about this situation-he does not focus on only his feelings. For instance, when Dewey Dell is upset about her mother dying, Darl clearly conveys her misery: " Then she flings herself across Addle Bundren's knees, clutching her, shaking her with the furious strength of the young before sprawling suddenly across the handful of rotten bones that Addie Bundren left, jarring the whole bed into a chattering sibilance of mattress shucks, her arms outflung and the fan in one hand still beating with expiring breath into the quilt." This description fully conveys Dewey Dell's sorrow on losing her mother. Darl does an excellent job with explaining what is going on in the scene, and does a good job with explaining what is going on. 

Mulit-Genre Piece: Jewel's Journal

June  12th, 1929

Ever since Ma got sick, everyone has been acting ridiculous. The Tulls are at our house everyday, tending to Ma and trying to be good Christians. Cora is always fretting over Ma, and critiquing all of our actions. Dewey Del is alongside her, fanning Ma all the time and concerning herself with her own troubles. It is rather irritating, as fanning will not help improve Ma's condition at all. However, I am extremely irritated with Cash's ignorance. Cash is not thoughtful at all. Every day Cash works on Ma's casket- right outside of her window! This is extremely depressing and unthoughtful- Cash is preparing Ma's casket while she is alive! It is like he is only trying to show off his good carpentry skills to Ma- one last "pleasant" memory before she dies. And Pa spends his days doing absolutely nothing! He never sheds a bead of sweat, and sits around, waiting for Ma to die. The minutes are ticking away, as the family waits for Ma to draw her last breath. Soon it will happen- I only hope she dies in peace, and not at the expense of our family's misery. 

-Jewel

"A Rose for Emily"

In the story “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, there are many conflicts involved, as the story follows the life of the protagonist-Emily Grierson. Emily Grierson is presented as a rather mysterious woman, who is not quite right in the mind. The townsfolk do not understand Emily’s mindset and seem to be aware of Emily’s incapability of dealing with loss. Emily does not seem capable of moving forward in life, and she embraces the Old South- life before the Civil War. For instance, Emily was one of the last descendants from the soldiers of the Confederate Army in her town, and she refused to let her town forget that. According to the story, Emily “…had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town, dating from that day in 1894 when Colonel Satoris, the mayor…remitted her taxes, the dispensation dating from the death of her father on into perpetuity…” According to this information, Emily was regarded as a prominent figure in her town, reflecting her town’s pride of the Confederate Army. However, later on when more modern ideas were introduced into her town, and the town veered away from Old South morals and ideas, Emily refused to pay her taxes. She did not want to lose her title as a member of the Grierson family and refused to give up events that occurred in the past.

Another conflict that is prevalent in the story, is the one in which Emily loses her father. After losing her father, Emily refused to believe that he was dead for three days. Most of the townspeople saw this as acceptable, since Emily was trying to deal with loss, however they change their attitude later on in the story. When Emily becomes sick and hides in her home for many years, it is obvious that Emily is incapable of dealing with loss. She also cannot seem to get over the fact that a piece of her past is gone- her father- and she keeps his portrait in her home. 

It is most apparent, however, that Emily is incapable of dealing with loss when it is revealed what happened to her sweetheart. For a while, Emily was courted by a man by the name of Homer Baron. Baron left Emily for a few days and the narrator suggests that he may have had homosexual feelings, therefore Emily may have been fearful of losing him. As a result, Emily kills him yet it is apparent that she still loves him. This is due to the fact that at the end of the story, the narrator reveals that Emily still slept beside his dead body for forty years: “Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of lifted something from it, and leaving forward, that faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron-grey hair.” Emily’s fear of loss is apparent in the way that she took extreme measures in order to keep a man whom she loved by her side. 

Overall, based on Emily’s fear of losing the past and things that she loved, it can be determined that the loss is the antagonist of the story. Loss is the enemy because it causes Emily, the protagonist, to take extreme measures in order to preserve the things she loved. Emily refuses to pay her taxes, in memory of the good days, shuns herself from the rest of the world, and kills her lover. Therefore, it can be concluded that loss is the antagonist in “A Rose for Emily.”