As I Lay Dying

As I Lay Dying is told from the point of view of 15 different narrators, none of whom is granted authority over the others. Which narrators are the most reliable? Which ones are the least reliable? Why? Consider the following:

• Are they present for the events they narrate?
• Do they seem to hold prejudices or grudges that may affect the way they view reality?
• How does their prose style reflect their inner thought process?  
• How old is the narrator?
• What is their motivation?
• Do they seem observant of others, or are they focused on themselves?

Teaching Suggestion: Faulkner’s stream-of-consciousness style and frequent shifts in point of view make this a challenging novel and a unique reading experience. Some characters narrate scenes they are physically present to witness, while others are overwhelmed by emotions and misunderstand much of what they see. It may be helpful to approach this Discussion/Analysis Prompt with a list of narrators and the chapters they narrate. This could be a take-home activity for students prior to analysis. Students could then determine the answers to the questions above using a graphic organizer with 15 rows for narrators’ names and 8 columns beside them for specific answers; this may help students determine each narrator’s reliability.