Families
Two novels set in very different environments, one in a small town in the deep south, and the other a village in the Congo. Most would say these two stories couldn’t be more different, but if you see past the setting and the plot, you will notice each novel focuses on one singular thing, family dynamic. As I Lay Dying shows the reader an inside look at a family that could not be more dysfunctional. The Poisonwood Bible is a story with a family of faith and hatred. Between the two novels families and their dynamic is a topic of much conversation.
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner takes us on a journey with a family burying their dead mother. The entire novel is told through the perspective of each character allowing the reader to see the dynamic between the family members truly. As the story progresses more and more is revealed about how poorly the family gets along and why everyone hates each other for one reason or another. The novel was written in a time of new psychological ideas and studies Faulkner takes what is learned about the human mind and crafts these characters around it. In doing so, he makes a family that doesn’t get along and stands out against everyone because they indeed are the opposite of the perfect family. The mother has died, and the father is the least caring person in the entire novel. Faulkner makes being a part of a family almost ugly with this novel never having a happy point throughout or having any of the family members do anything that truly benefits the good of the group.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbra Kingsolver shows us a much different family. This family is trapped in a whole new world as their father has dragged them into the Congo on a missionary trip. You have four girls living their teenage years in a place they could never have wanted to leave more. This creates a family that bonds over their need to survive and hatred for their father. Again, not a happy family but a much stronger one then in As I Lay Dying because all the girls realize they need each other to survive and make it through the Congo. Kingsolver does not try to make a happy family in this novel but does show the importance of family and how they are always there when you need them.
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner takes us on a journey with a family burying their dead mother. The entire novel is told through the perspective of each character allowing the reader to see the dynamic between the family members truly. As the story progresses more and more is revealed about how poorly the family gets along and why everyone hates each other for one reason or another. The novel was written in a time of new psychological ideas and studies Faulkner takes what is learned about the human mind and crafts these characters around it. In doing so, he makes a family that doesn’t get along and stands out against everyone because they indeed are the opposite of the perfect family. The mother has died, and the father is the least caring person in the entire novel. Faulkner makes being a part of a family almost ugly with this novel never having a happy point throughout or having any of the family members do anything that truly benefits the good of the group.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbra Kingsolver shows us a much different family. This family is trapped in a whole new world as their father has dragged them into the Congo on a missionary trip. You have four girls living their teenage years in a place they could never have wanted to leave more. This creates a family that bonds over their need to survive and hatred for their father. Again, not a happy family but a much stronger one then in As I Lay Dying because all the girls realize they need each other to survive and make it through the Congo. Kingsolver does not try to make a happy family in this novel but does show the importance of family and how they are always there when you need them.
Nick, you did a great job explaining how both the Poisonwood Bible and As I Lay Dying capture two completely different ideas of families. I would say that both families have the same dysfunctional quality as it is clear that in the Poisonwood Bible, Orleanna along with her daughters discover their own ways to distance themselves from their family dynamic. For instance, Orleanna just completely walks away from her family when hearing Ruth May had died, rather than using the support of her family to help her along during the darker times. In that moment her character acts upon instinct rather than receiving help from her kin. I completely agree that William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying portrays this dysfunctional aspect of the Bundren family in an excellent way. It is interesting how Faulkner uses each chapter to provide the reader with insite into the odd dynamic existing between two brothers, a brother and sister, or a father and brother. Faulkner's writing helps the reader understand the diverse thoughts that exist, thus showing how each character feels toward one another. You analyzed both novels in a descriptive and detailed manner. Great job, Nick.
ReplyDelete