Family dynamics || The abundance of narrators also offers the reader a close look at the inner workings of the Bundren family. Each chapter is labelled with the narrator’s name, though Faulkner writes his characters so distinctly that the reader would likely be able to identify the narrator even without the helpful note at the top of the page.ģ. This jigsaw puzzle of perspectives forces the reader to piece together the story bit by bit. Narration || With 15 narrators and 59 chapters, this novel is certainly a whirlwind. If book length intimidates you, then this might be a good place to start with Faulkner.Ģ.

The pace moves quickly due to the short chapters and numerous narrators, meaning that it feels even shorter. Relatively short length || At around 250 pages, As I Lay Dying is more manageable than some of Faulkner’s other texts. If you’ve never read this book, here are seven reasons why you should:ġ. What first appears to be a simple task– transporting a coffin to a burial ground– quickly transforms into a journey that will change the family forever. Each time I’ve been taken aback by the depth and complexity of this story.

I’ve read this intense novel twice: once last summer just for fun and once this past summer for the Faulkner tutorial I’m currently taking at Oxford.

Today, I’m here to persuade you to pick up one of my favorite Faulkner novels: As I Lay Dying. First published in 1930, As I Lay Dying tells the story of the Bundren family as they attempt to move a coffin to Jefferson, Mississippi. William Faulkner is one of my favorite authors.

As i lay dying text