Although it achieved little commercial success at the time of its publication, As I Lay Dying has become one of William Faulkner's most popular novels. At first put off by its controversial subject matter and confusing style, commentators and readers have come to appreciate the novel's vivid characters, elusive tone, and complex narrative techniques. As I Lay Dying | Sections 1-7 | Summary. As I Lay Dying is divided into 59 sections, each named for the character narrating that particular section. There are 15 narrators in all. For the purposes of the study guide, the sections have been grouped together according to the novel's plot. Sections 1-7 cover Addie's dying; Sections 8-13 are A summary of the plot of Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying, which follows the Bundrens' journey to bury their mother Addie in Jefferson. The summary covers the main events, characters, themes, and symbols of the story, as well as the narrator's point of view and the author's style. As I Lay Dying. [Harmondsworth, England]: Penguin Books, 1963. The cover of this edition is particularly effective in summarizing both plot and character. Addie Bundren has died and her family is carting her coffin to Jefferson to be buried with her people. The macabre funeral journey faces natural catastrophes of flood and fire as well as an Activity 1. Burying Addie's Voice. This activity explores Addie, the central character of the text. The novel's title— As I Lay Dying —invokes a first-person speaker, presumably the voice of the dead mother, Addie Bundren. Yet she only speaks once in the novel, and she is dead, not dying, throughout most of the novel (aside from the Summary Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying. Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides. As I Lay Dying: Introduction A concise biography of William Faulkner plus historical and literary context for As I Lay Dying. As I Lay Dying: Plot Summary .

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