Eyes

Visually descriptive images are integral in Faulkner’s work. Even amongst the characters in his novels, the sense sight is given importance. First and foremost, the title for Faulkner's novel "As I lay dying" comes from Homer's Odyssey, Book XI. In the particular scene from where the title comes from, Odysseys is in the Underworld and is now facing the ghosts of his peers. "One in particular is Agamemnon, who tells the story of his own death...the witch wouldn't close his eyes as he was dying. The line goes 'as I lay dying, the woman with the dog's eyes would not close my eyes as I descended into Hades" ( Shmoop Editorial Team). This idea goes hand in hand with Addie, who in this novel is the character that “lays dying”. Addie Bundren is sick in bed, which later turns out that she’d been dead for a while before the family cared to notice. Before her death, Addie’s wish had been to be buried in Jefferson, and in the idea that she’d been sick and watching over the family’s actions correspond with Agamemnon’s pain and agony of being awake and watching his own death. These two ideas are relatable because Addie has to watch her family come up with justifiable personal reasons to make the trip out to Jefferson. Each family member has his or her own personal agenda, save for Jewel and Darl. Addie has to watch with pain and anguish, that after years and years of caring after her family, she now in her final moments has to watch them justify their reasons for travelling for her.

Shmoop Editorial Team. "As I Lay Dying Title."//Shmoop.com//. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 20 Dec. 2013.