"As I Lay Dying" is one of Faulkner's representative works and an important work in his "Yoknapatawpha Lineage" series. The novel tells the story of Bundelun, a farmer in the southern United States, who led his family to transport his wife's body back to his hometown for burial in order to keep his promise to his wife. Although everyone embarked on the funeral journey with their own purposes, and there were many selfish, ignorant, and absurd behaviors along the way, this funeral still had the brilliance of idealism. In the struggle against floods and fires, it demonstrated the strength of people and revalued people's ability to endure suffering.
The novel is composed of 59 internal monologues of the Bundren family, neighbors and related personnel. The multi-perspective narration and stream-of-consciousness techniques make it a classic of modernist novels. It has a huge influence on later writers and is known as "the outstanding opening chapter of American novels in the 20th century."
Reader comments
The first time I came across Faulkner's novel was "The Sound and the Fury", but overall I just couldn't understand it and finally gave up;
Recently, I have become slightly interested in stream-of-consciousness novels, so I read "As I Lay Dying", and it was actually only halfway through that I suddenly realized that it could be written like this; some people say that "As I Lay Dying" is a carnival of a group of families with mental patients, and it is not an exaggeration to describe it...
The characterization in this book is amazing! I particularly like the character of Bendren, who despite his difficult circumstances, always sticks to his promise to his wife. The author Faulkner is really amazing. His multi-perspective narration and stream-of-consciousness technique made me completely immersed in the story. This book is an absolute classic and worth reading!
The translation is very good!
Readers should feel the neurosis of the family in this book from a higher perspective, as well as the author's intentionally weird and interesting writing.
This translation is really good. It's not as down-to-earth as the others. The language is beautiful and the aftertaste is endless. You can learn something. I can't seem to find this translation on other platforms.
The first time I came across Faulkner's novel was "The Sound and the Fury", but overall I just couldn't understand it and finally gave up; Recently, I have become slightly interested in stream-of-consciousness novels, so I read "As I Lay Dying", and it was actually only halfway through that I suddenly realized that it could be written like this; some people say that "As I Lay Dying" is a carnival of a group of families with mental patients, and it is not an exaggeration to describe it...
The characterization in this book is amazing! I particularly like the character of Bendren, who despite his difficult circumstances, always sticks to his promise to his wife. The author Faulkner is really amazing. His multi-perspective narration and stream-of-consciousness technique made me completely immersed in the story. This book is an absolute classic and worth reading!
The translation is very good!
Readers should feel the neurosis of the family in this book from a higher perspective, as well as the author's intentionally weird and interesting writing.
This translation is really good. It's not as down-to-earth as the others. The language is beautiful and the aftertaste is endless. You can learn something. I can't seem to find this translation on other platforms.