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As I Lay Dying is a peculiar novel and that is saying something since the writer is William Faulkner. Picture the plot ; a dead woman named Addie Bundren, mother of five is in a box on a wagon pulled by mules being taken to a cemetery to be buried , by her family in a place where her own deceased relatives preside. Set in 1930 Mississippi where everyone is dirt poor and the trip will give pain throughout the distant journey caused by the river flooding and the bridges collapsing in the rising waters. The lazy husband Anse in consequence brought down the woman, worn out prematurely by him, she leaves. Cash the eldest is a great carpenter always hammering, making the coffin sadly, Darl unstable, Jewel big, seems not quite fitting with the smaller family group, Dewey Dell only daughter she is hiding a large problem and last, youngest and least Vardaman at about 10 using childish words annoying all. ACCIDENTS OCCUR frequently when the silly father invariably makes wrong decisions, a bit greedy , one of many shortcomings. The long adventures of days living on the ground by the wagon , in barns, the proud family rejects numerous offers to stay in peoples homes , nevertheless the members would rather suffer in silence. Doctor Peabody works for free, not his choice however, the Bundrens keep him busy. But that is not the worse situation ... a delicate odor spreads on the land and citizens begin to avoid them. Angry words travel faster than the creaky wagon rolls, hills must be conquered and the unending roads full of rain can be traverse, maybe . You probably would be able, that is ...
to guess the difficulties and the weird glances of town folks viewing in windows, streets and stores with a state of disbelief at the strange humans. Constantly bickering among themselves never knowing what to do next. The little hamlets stand in the hot dusty land seemingly forever impoverished, yet always there. The narrative will take a while to get comfortable with, since the more than a dozen characters have a turn in each chapter commenting on the action. Faulkner was a wonderful author giving readers a superb slice of life it might not be fun still quality is there for any to see. Not a surprise that Faulkner loved his birthplace , indigent Mississippi...