Review by lindseyas - As I Lay Dying

lindseyas 's review for:

As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner

3.75

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I read this for my new English class, which is analysis of Southern literature. Having Faulkner as our first book was definitely an intense beginning, and "As I Lay Dying" was just the cherry on top to set the scene for the variety of insane tales we'd be reading in class. A story about being set in your ways and stuck in your born environment, Faulkner tells the story of a family that barely acts like one, characters that can't get out of their own personal ruts and a death that rocks even the strongest of people to their cores. "The poison trickles through," as they tend to say, and it doesn't just stop when you're born: no matter how old or physically/emotionally separated you are from your parents and family, you can become like them whether you like it or not. Poverty, class distinctions and the ravages of war — both on the battlefield and in the brain — tend to do that.

Content Warnings