In both novels, The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying, we perceive the struggles that Caddy, Addie, and Dewey Dell go through in order to “freely” make decisions about their lives. I would like to know more about the reason why Faulkner decided to present them in such a way. My question is: What is William Faulkner’s purpose in the way he portraits women’s desire or their way to reach that desire in the novels TSAF and AILD? What do critics think about the way Faulkner portraits women’s desire?
ENGL 389 Spr21
William Faulkner
I like it. You might note the commonality of the theme of “aloneness” in DD and Addie’s narratives in AILD. You might also note tensions, as we see very different models of femininity in the person of Cora Tull and Ms. Armstid. Finally, would be interesting to look at the desire to *move* on the parts of Caddy, Quentin II, and Lena.
Take a look at Sensibar’s recent biography of Faulkner and the women around him. Your challenge will be to limit the topic, since there’s been a ton written on these topics! You might end up limiting to one of the novels and/or one of these manifestations of desire.