Topic > Character Analysis of Jewel Bundren in "As I Lay Dying"

In the novel As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, the members of the Bundren family come together to achieve one goal: to bury Addie's body according to her wishes in Jefferson, Mississippi, . However, despite following his request, the Bundrens are secretly motivated to fulfill their selfish ambitions during their journey. Along the way they encounter many problems that delay their journey. Fifteen different characters narrate by providing different points of view on the events that happen. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay William Faulkner uses multiple narrators in As I Lay Dying, a technique that allows him to illustrate different mindsets about events and ethical issues. The motivations of some narrators are clear: Dewey Dell is determined to have an abortion, for example, and Vardaman longs for a toy train and bananas. Jewel is harder to understand and is the only member of the Bundren family who provides no personal narrative after Addie's death. Since the reader can only understand Jewel through the stories of others, he or she may be especially confused as to why Jewel would help Anse, a man to whom he has neither biological nor affable ties, by giving up the horse that has long been his only outlet . for expressions of love. The explanation is that Jewel realizes that he must compromise his principles to achieve anything, and that he becomes increasingly willing to question his immediate reaction to situations. To understand Jewel's final decision to help Anse, it is necessary to examine the relationship between Jewel and both her mother and horse. The filial relationship between Jewel and Addie is unique both emotionally and genetically. While Cash, Darl, Vardaman, and Dewey Dell are all children of Anse and Addie, Jewel is the child resulting from the relationship between Addie and Father Whitfield. As such, Addie prefers Jewel over all the other children. Addie even admits to Cora that Jewel “is [her] cross and will be [her] salvation. He will save her from water and fire” (168). On the other hand, Addie's opinion towards Cash and the rest of her children is made evident in Addie's own narration when Addie states, "And when I knew I had Cash, I knew that living was terrible and that this was the answer to it." ” (171). Addie considered having children with Anse both a punishment and a preparation for death rather than something to derive pleasure and love from. However, as a mother, Addie knew that she had to treat all of her children equally, and she hated if herself and Jewel for forcing her to deceive others into thinking she loved them all equally when love was a word she couldn't even fathom. In this sense, Addie "whipped" Jewel more, disciplining him to compensate her overly expressed love towards her. Since Jewel's only source of love was that masked by Addie's anger, Jewel has learned to love this way too. For her horse, Jewel's "tough love" is mutual of her mother's "teachings". The way Jewel treats the animal she bought with her own money, with swearing and pushing mixed with spoils and treats, is Jewel L's highest form of expression of love Jewel's love for her mother is evident in her unique narrative “dedicated” to Addie. Although Jewel's hostile inclination is entirely on the surface, her hidden intentions of wanting the best for her mother are evident. Jewel goes so far as to wish they would "just be [he] and she on a high hill and [he] roll rocks down the hill into [everyone's] faces, picking them up and throwing them down the hill, faces and teeth. and everything from.