As I Lay Dying: A Hero's Journey Within a Jumbled Mess

William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying is a Southern Gothic novel about Addie Bundren’s death and her family’s quest to fulfill her final wish: to be buried in her hometown of Jefferson, Mississippi (the Call to Adventure). The narrative is distorted and fragmented, shifting between first-person perspectives from multiple clownish goober characters. Despite its jumbled structure, the plot, in a way, still follows the steps of Joseph Campbell’s hero’s journey monomyth.

The family’s departure takes a while because they must wait for Darl and Jewel to return from their errand since Anse insists that “[Addie]’ll want it so.” This long delay seems to be the Refusal of the Call, for it holds the family back from leaving home sooner. Unlike Star Wars, the Supernatural Aid (or guide) is not a person, but rather each member’s personal motivations to continue to Jefferson: Anse is selfishness, Cash is responsibility, Darl is respectfulness, Jewel is affection (he’s mommy’s favorite after all), Dewey is pregnancy, and Vardaman is following everyone else. Crossing the First Threshold occurs when they traversed the river near Tull’s place, since it marks the point where they physically leave their county (Yoknapatawpha) and enter the outside world. The final seperaton, the Belly of the Whale, happens when the family trades Jewel’s horse along with some other stuff to buy some mules to pull the wagon. At that point, they have sacrificed too much to even consider turning back.

Regarding the Initiation phase, the Road of Trials portrays the Bundren's physical and social challenges. They had to navigate difficult terrain (i.e., go over hills). And, they had to deal with the townsfolk who couldn’t stand them; in Mottson, one could see “the ladies all scattering up and down the street with handkerchiefs to their noses,” prompting the marshall to kick the family out of town. Luckily, the Bundrens got Goddesses: Samson, Armstid, and Gillespie; these people are the embodiment of holiness, for they kindly give the Bundrens a place to stay during the nights. The Woman as Temptress (a distraction that diverts the hero) reflects in each member’s motivating factors. The Bundrens dwell on their desires so much that it causes them to regard their mission with less significance. Apotheosis (point at which a greater understanding is achieved) refers to the moment when Darl, upon listening closely to Addie’s hatred in the coffin, loses respect for his biological mother. He realizes that the quest is futile and thus tries to burn down Addie in the barn. As a result, the family has to reconcile with the powerful lawsuits (Atonement with the Father), which they do so by sending Darl to jail. The Bundrens do achieve the Ultimate Boon, as demonstrated by the perfunctory description of the burial: “we got it filled and covered and drove out the gate….”

After the Boon is complete, the Bundrens don’t go back to their little county (Refusal of the Return). Instead, they loiter around eating bananas, while Anse is busy hooking up a hot Jefferson chick. Peabody could serve as the Rescue from Without (guide back to everyday normal life) because he helps Cash get his leg set back to as normal as possible. The story ends in Jefferson, so Crossing the Return Threshold has not been fulfilled yet. Also, the family feels more dysfunctional (physically, financially, and psychologically) than before, so I doubt they achieved the Freedom to Live or became a Master of Two Worlds by the end.