Introduction

The book “As I Lay Dying” is a narrative written by William Faulkner. The narrative has 59 chapters narrated by 15 different characters.  It has a family setting and explains the ultimate death of the Addie Bundren who is critically ill. The narrative has used several characters with the main ones being Addie Bundren, Darl Bundren, Jewel, and Cash Bundren just to mention a few. All these characters have different roles in the story and varied relationships among them as illustrated by the author. The paper will analyze the role of Darl Bundren in the story and how he relates to other characters.

Character Analysis

Darl Bundren is the second Bundren son and has a critical role in the narrative. He is instrumental in offering the storyline due to his sensitivity and his ability to deliver many interior monologues in the novel. It is also prudent to note that this character speaks in nineteen of the fifty-nine chapters of the novel. The author has based the story on Darl, and it is through him that we can understand the other characters in the narrative. From the story, this character looks complicated, elusive, conservative and thought provoking. These are essential aspects that have led to the development of the story.

The other notable aspect related to Darl is the fact that he is the only character who lives on various interchangeable levels of consciousness. The author depicts Darl as a character who can understand the feelings of others. He is portrayed as a character that has played a great role in defining the relations between other characters. To deal with the emotional feelings of not having a mother, he taunts Jewel about not having a father. Darl can understand the feelings of other characters. For instance, he is aware of the inexpressible love that Jewel holds for Addie. His critical observation and deducing capabilities have been essential in developing the narrative. We learn that he can understand inner consciousness and understand any action by Jewel.

Darl is expressed as a character whose relationship with other characters leaves a lot to be desired. For instance, there is a lot of taunting between him and jewel.  The same kind of relationship is evident between Darl and Dewey but this time on a different level. After realizing of the Dewel’s pregnancy, there is tension between the two characters and ends up in violent attacks that were more than those on Jewel.

It is, however, wise to understand that Cash and Darl have no conflicts as is also the case with Vardaman. The novel depicts a friendly relationship between the two characters and close kinship among them is evident. This character is also portrayed as the key solutions to complex interrelations among the characters.  His ability to sense everything and good understanding of other characters has been essential in problem-solving. Darl plays a significant role in sensing and telling the Addie’s death in a poetic language.

Darl is also depicted as a crazy or an insane character which has also been a significant contribution to the story.  His ability to read other people’s mind and to be superior that the rest of the family made others considers him as a queer character. His attempt to burn the barn contributed immensely to the crazy allegations. He is a significant figure in the family since he offers solutions to major issues within the family. The fear of other family members’ results to Darl being committed to an insane asylum.  Other family members thought that he would make their secrets public. Nevertheless, the contribution of this character to the narrative cannot be underscored.

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