Addie is one of the most interesting characters in the novel, despite her complete absence from the plot. I'm not sure why Faulkner decided to write her in this way; perhaps it was to generate some sympathy, but maybe it was just the best way to rationalize her decisions. Addie is definitely one of the most morally questionable characters we encounter. She enjoys or at least looks forward to beating her schoolchildren, and doesn't express any love to her children other than Jewel. Of course she does have her reasons. Addie enjoys beating the children because she sees it as a way of affirming her existence in their selfish miserable lives. This rationale isn't really anything that your run-of-the-mill bully doesn't possess. Her mentality of living only to die causes her to not feel the urge to make anyone's life any happier, including her own. Addie's strongest asset is her philosophical mind, but it doesn't make up for her flaws.
Sure, her life was not the greatest, and she didn't have any options for advancement, but Faulkner gives us an example of another female character, Dewey Dell, who suffers from every disadvantage that Addie did and then some. Yet she doesn't seem to harbor any resentment for her family, and is probably one of the most pleasant characters in the novel. Even her betrayal of Darl is more an action of desperation than anything else.
Sure, her life was not the greatest, and she didn't have any options for advancement, but Faulkner gives us an example of another female character, Dewey Dell, who suffers from every disadvantage that Addie did and then some. Yet she doesn't seem to harbor any resentment for her family, and is probably one of the most pleasant characters in the novel. Even her betrayal of Darl is more an action of desperation than anything else.
I would definitely agree with you that Addie's narration sets the tone for this story to become a tragedy, but for me personally it was what happened to Dewie Dell and Darl that turned this story into a Tragedy for me. Darl losing his mind was a very sad thing in my opinion since he was the one who really struck me as something special, and he ends up being the one who's going to be stuck in an insane asylum. Dewie Dell pretty much starts up in a terrible situation in her life, and ends in an even worse one. At least at the beginning of the story she still had a hope for solving her problems in the form of the ten dollars. In the end she's lost her money to Anse and she's been raped. These two stories are the main reasons why I see this story as a tragedy.
ReplyDeleteFor me, it really wasn't until the scene with Addie that I began to appreciate the humor in the book. It makes the entire Bundren journey seem very dramatically ironic, and I found it amusing to imagine Addie just laughing away in her coffin at every ridiculous obstacle that arises in her journey to Jefferson. Realizing the humor made the book so much more enjoyable for me.
ReplyDeleteI agree Andy. When I read this section I just kept thinking "Why are they doing any of this?". Its something that I keep forgetting when I think about Anse getting a new wife. His last wife never really loved him so maybe this is a chance at true love, even though he has known this new lady for even less time than Addie.
DeleteI think the contrast that Faulkner depicts between Dewey Dell and Addie is fairly telling about Addie's mentality. Even though both live in a similar situation, Dewey Dell at least actively tries to seek help for her problems, or at least get them dealt with. On the other hand Addie just accepts her fate and wallows in her despair. Addie is smart enough to know that she can probably make her life mean something if she tried, but she doesn't try and this makes the contrast to Dewey Dell much more interesting.
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