William Faulkner’s As I lay Diing is about a hapless family’s battle to get by with the decease of their female parent Addie and transport her organic structure to the Jefferson Cemetery. Their male parent Anse is a low life. he is merely going with them to Jefferson so he can acquire himself a set of false dentition. The kids ne’er truly had a loving relationship with their female parent or male parent. Addie ne’er wanted kids. and Anse is excessively wrapped up in himself to care. “Anse of class is the existent monster. declining to work lest he sweat himself to death…” ( Wagner 94 ) .
Cash Bundren the oldest boy of Anse and Addie Bundren is characterized as the diligent. sort. and dedicated leader of the household. Not merely do Cash’s actions prove these qualities but besides the descriptions of him by other storytellers prove Cash to be a hardworking. loyal adult male. As his female parent lies deceasing in bed he builds her a casket. Cash is a perfectionist ; he has each board approved by Addie. He wants her to be happy with the occupation he is making. Darl the 2nd to eldest boy of the Bundrens dainties Cash with regard and acknowledges his endowments in the beginning of the book. “A good carpenter Cash is… Addie Bundren could non desire a better 1. a better box to lie in ; it will give her assurance and comfort” ( 4-5 ) .
While Anse wallows in self-pity. Cash steps up to make full his fatherlike nothingness. All of the Bundren kids look up to Cash. Cash finds Vardaman losing right after seeing Peabody’s squad run off ; he goes out to happen him. He besides knows that Vardaman drilled holes into Addie’s casket because he still believes Addie is alive. even deadening holes into Addie’s face but hard currency still doesn’t cry at him. he merely mends the holes back. Anse of class. does non care much about Cash’s work or helpfulness. Even though Jewel shows small regard to Cash. Cash is still sort to Jewel and looks after him. When Darl and Cash become leery if Jewel mousing out at dark. Cash Tells Darl non to face Jewel because it would make no good ; Alternatively. Cash follows Jewel out one dark and finds he has been working on uncluttering a field to raise adequate money to purchase a Equus caballus. When gem arrives with the Equus caballus Anse gets angry. Cash defends Jewel and composures Anse’s nervousnesss by stating “Jewel worked difficult for his Equus caballus and merely spent his difficult earned money on it” ( 135 ) . Cash besides consoles Addie who begins to shout after seeing her boy withstand his male parent. Later in the narrative Darl catches a barn on fire. seeking to cremate his mother’s cadaver to stop their journey.
He faces jail clip. Cash knows it is best for Darl to be sent to Jefferson. “It will be better for you…down there it will be quiet with none of the bothering and material. it’ll be better for you. Darl” ( 238 ) . Cash’s leading is seen during the beginning of the family’s trip to Jefferson. The Bridge that is the fastest path to Jefferson is destroyed by a inundation. Anse. being the male parent. should be the one to steer the household across the river. but because he is so lazy and dependent. he leaves the others to calculate out how to traverse. Cash takes charge and gives orders for the remainder of the household to traverse. while he. Darl. and Jewel seek to acquire the waggon across. Cash puts everything into his custodies and manoeuvres the squad through the river as he tells Jewel to back up him with his Equus caballus. Cash ends up losing the squad and about deceasing himself. Cash blames himself for the loss and his broken leg. When Cash was working on Addie’s casket. Anse comes out to detect. Cash tells him to travel back into the house and out of the rain. It took a few times stating him but even Anse listens to Cash. Cash evidently knows what is best. and all of the Bundrens trust his determinations.
Throughout the full narrative Cash demonstrated his bravery and strength. For illustration when traversing the river and the waggon becomes unsteady. Darl jumps to safety. Cash on the other manus attempts to keep on to the casket in topographic point and salvage to wagon. He holds on until the waggon goes about wholly under. Cash ne’er screams or expletives or acted scared in any manner. Rather he keeps his composure in the face of the catastrophe. A 2nd illustration of Cash’s bravery is when he eventually emerges from the river with a re-broken leg. He ne’er frets the interruption or even Acts of the Apostless as if he is on hurting. alternatively he reassures the household. “I can last it. it ain’t but one more twenty-four hours. It ain’t no fuss to talk of” ( 207 ) he doesn’t want to decelerate their journey in anyhow. When Anse wants to set cement on Cash’s leg. Cash doesn’t object to the awful thought. he allows it. Apparently cognizing it would make more bad than good. he merely wants to acquire his female parent to her resting topographic point.
Cash is highly dedicated. to his work and to his household. When Cash was constructing Addie’s casket he worked nonstop through the dark and through rain. He puts a batch of difficult work. preciseness. and clip into her casket. “I made it on a bevel” ( 82 ) . Even thought it would take longer to chamfer the casket. and take much more work. he was dedicated to giving Addie a proper box to lie in. “it is better to construct a tight poulet henhouse. than a cheapjack courthouse” ( 234 ) .
All of the younger siblings respect Cash. The most valuable thing Cash owns is his tools throughout the full book. Cash has his tools by his side and makes certain that their ever with him. Darl describes briefly Cash’s love for his tools when he rapidly returns to them after conveying in Addie’s casket: “He has returned to the trestles. stooped once more in the lantern’s lame blaze as he gathers up his tools and wiped them on a fabric carefully and set them into the box with its leather sling to travel over his shoulder” ( 50 ) . When Cash interrupt his leg seeking to traverse the river. his brothers find all his tools and put them by his side for the remainder of the trip because they know how much his tools mean to him. Dewey Dell has much regard for Cash ; she spends most of her clip on the journey to Jefferson be givening to Cash. Caring for her injured brother is one illustration. She wipes puke from his face with the hem of her skirt. She understands Cash when he is inquiring about his tools. She is at that place for him. Vardaman. the youngest of the Bundrens. positions Cash severally. but every bit severally as a seven twelvemonth old can. He simply says a few things about Cash ; largely that he is his brother and so is Darl.
Since Cash narrates so small of the first half of the book. he emerges in the 2nd half as the most rational storyteller. He decidedly seems to hold the most sense of any of the Bundren Children. and Even Anse. Cash normally doesn’t say much. except for their last two chapters but he reveals many things. Cash is really logical. which is seen when he talks about the ground why he built his mother’s coffin the manner he did ( 82 ) . Cash attacks issues with cautiousness and logical thinking. like when he tells gem to be patient because their male parent “ain’t every bit spry as him’’ ( 259 ) .
Throughout the description of Cash and his actions. he can be seen as the hero of his household. Possibly the lone 1 with the true kernel of kindness and fidelity. Even as the corruptness of the Bundren household is revealed. Cash remains the lone one pure bosom as he supports his household through its expedition. Cash ‘s dedication to his household can be seen non merely in the beginning when he is healthy. working and taking. but besides when he is injured. promoting the others to press on and disregard his jobs.
Plants Cited
Faulkner. William. As I lay deceasing Library of America. 1985. Rpt. Bookrags. 11-18-2004. World Wide Web. bookrags. com/essay-2004/11/18/212030/50Cached – Similar. Accessed on 02-11-2012 Six Decades of Criticism. Ed. Linda Wganer-Martin. East Langay: Michican State U P. 2002: 83-104. Print. e-notes. 01-25-2010. hypertext transfer protocol: //www. enotes. com/as-i-lay-dying/cash-bundren Accessed on 02-10-2012 Shmoop. 05-03-2001. World Wide Web. shmoop. com/as-i-lay-dying/cash-bundren-timeline. htmlCached – Similar. Accessed on 02-12-2012
