As I Lay Dying
Wedding Dress:
This was one of the weirder details in the story. I thought it was interesting they included it and I don't really know what to think of it. It could be ironic to contrast with her bad marriage with Anse but I really don't know why the detail is so significant. Or maybe it's not. I also think its weird that they put her in the wedding dress if they know it will make it so she doesn't fit in the coffin correctly. Because Cash is so crazy about building the perfect coffin I would think the family would make sure it was perfect but they could care less about all the work Cash put into the coffin.
Although Cash is kinda annoying about all this coffin not being balanced talk, I would be annoyed if I put that much work into something and it goes misused or unappreciated. I do believe at the time he was building it and Addie was still alive, she appreciated all his hard work, but after Addie died, I don't think anyone else appreciated what he had done for their mother.
Darl and Dewey Dell:
I think Darl and Dewey Dell have the most interesting relationship. I didn't catch all the sexualizing Darl does of Dewey Dell and how they can talk without words is really interesting to me. Darl has the most sections in the book and is kinda the main character. I thought because Darl and Dewey Dell have this really close connection that they would place a lot of trust in one another, but its interesting how its more like they put each other on edge. Especially for Dewey Dell, because Darl knows her secrets.
In general I have a lot of sympathy for Dewey Dell. I think I relate to her most because she is a women and thinking about how she's going to deal with her mothers death is hard. Assuming the role of the women in the family would be really difficult. She doesn't have anyone to go to for motherly advice that a daughter needs. I also feel bad for her because her story is one that I still want to know more about. Since she cant get the abortion she is wanting to get while in town, I just wonder how her story will keep going when she has to have to child. I also wonder how Dewey Dell being pregnant and having a child will change the dynamics of the family. Not only is this family not ready to have a baby, I don't think they are capable of raising a baby with the loss of Addie. She would know best about what to do and now Dewey Dell is left alone to jus figure it out for herself.
Jewel:
Jewel is definitely the one family member who doesn't fit in. The build up of this ultimately leads to us finding out that Jewel is not like the rest, because he isn't Anse's child. He's Whitfield's son. Whitfields chapter is an essential chapter and exposes that Jewel is a product of Addies affair with him. In Addies chapter its also very interesting how she says she did nothing to hid the fact that when she was having Jewel it wasn't Anse child. She basically says that Anse knew the whole time it wasnt his child, but he never did anything about it. This detail is just weird to me. If Anse knew the whole time, why would he not say anything about it. How could he not get mad at all? I feel like they would still stay together because of the time period norms, but how could he just sit by knowing Jewel wasn't his. Also Jewel isn't directly kin, by the end, I do think he is a part of the family. His hard work and sacrifices he made while they made their journey to burry Addie definitely proved himself and how much he wants to contribute to the family.
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