Even though I did not like the book and the characters from the story, I liked the method that the author William Faulkner used. The stream of consciousness narrative method is where a character from a story describes the many feelings and thoughts that passes through the character's mind, and that is the method he used to tell the story. Faulkner did not just use one single character to narrate the story. He used many people from within the Bundren family like Cash, Darl, Dewey Dell, Anse, and Vardaman so that the readers could get different perspectives on the death of their wife and mother Addie. For instance, in the mind of Dewey Dell, she said, "I dont know whether I am worrying or not. Whether I can or not. I dont know whether I can cry or not. I dont know whether I have tried to or not" (64). The readers are able to see that the young woman is clearly numb from her situation with the death of her mother and from being pregnant.
However, Faulkner wanted the readers to be aware of how the Bundren family was not a "typical" normal family, so he added the perspectives of people outside the family. Some chapters had the point of view of their neighbors like Vernon Tull and his wife Cora and the family doctor named Peabody. Cora was their religious neighbor who talked about the concept of sin with Addie back when she was alive: "It is out of your vanity that you would judge sin and salvation in the Lord's place. It is our mortal lot to suffer and to raise our voices in praise of Him who judges the sin and offers the salvation through our trials and tribulations..." (167). To add a little variety in the multiple perspectives, Faulkner added a character that was deeply religious and involved with god.
I do like the stream of consciousness narrative method because there is psychological value behind the character's thoughts and feelings. It is interesting for someone like me, who wants to major in psychology in the future.
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