William Faulkners

The main purpose for most of William Faulkner?s novel, As I Lay Dying, is to bury their beloved mother and wife, Addie Bundren, in a town called Jefferson, which is a very long and strenuous trip for them to make. The statement death shapes life perfectly describes this chain of events. Anse sums it up perfectly when he says “You spend you whole life getting ready to be dead a long time.” (147) The entire novel shows the strength of the deceased, and the power that Addie Bundren has over her family.

After Addie dies, Anse is determined to take her to be buried in Jefferson, where she says that she wants to be buried with her family. Then, what seems to be an easy task turns into more trouble than it is apparently worth. First, they run into a bridge that is flooded over.