Jewel is the novel's most evasive character, as he appears consistently in other narrators' chapters but only narrates one chapter himself. Jewel is often described by Darl as looking "wooden," a description that captures his stubborn sense of independence and drive, separate from the rest of the Bundren clan. Analysis. Darl watches Anse go toward the barn as Dewey Dell approaches carrying a basket in one arm and a package wrapped in newspaper in the other. Darl notices that Dewey Dell looks "brooding and alert." Darl's ability to articulate his observations about his family members speaks to his sense of detachedness from the rest of the Bundrens. Darl - Chapter 12 Summary. Addie asks for Jewel, but Anse tells her that he is gone. Then, using the last of her strength, Addie sits up in bed to watch Cash work on her coffin. Cash only responds by showing her the boards he is working on, before returning to his work. Finally, Addie lies back down, takes a final look at Vardaman and dies. Darl laughs and Anse wonders how and why his son is able to laugh with his dead mother in her coffin laying at his feet. The wagon passes Tull 's lane just as Jewel and his horse catch up with the family's wagon. Darl continues to laugh. Darl's laughter emphasizes his ability to detach from the situation at hand—sitting in the wagon with his As I Lay Dying - MacGowan - Chapter 55 Summary & Analysis. William Faulkner. This Study Guide consists of approximately 72 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of As I Lay Dying. This section contains 225 words (approx. 1 page at 400 words per page) Analysis. Vardaman states: "My mother is a fish ." In what is perhaps the novel's most famous sentence, Vardaman connects the idea of his dead mother with the dead fish he caught for dinner. Vardaman's statement of course stems from the imagination of a six-year-old, but also represents a philosophical exploration of existence. Summary and Analysis Sections 24-27. The beginning of the journey is announced by Vardaman, who seems to have already forgotten the grief for his mother and instead has simply substituted in his mind that his mother is a fish. With the confusion of his mother with the fish, Vardaman begins to examine the other relationships and begins to wonder eF5qmyn.

as i lay dying chapter summary