MORE INTERPRATIVE QUESTIONS:
1.Faulkner states that" If there is a villain in the story it is the convention in which people have to live". What does this say about the narratives in the novel? The social class? How does this show Faulkner's outlook of stereotypes in his time?
2. Macgowan's manipulation reveals more about Dewey Dell than himself. How does his chapter infer that Dewey Dell is unsure of Macgowan's "treatment" and what does this exhibit about her personality and intelligence?
3. The common biblical reference "The Lord Giveth" ultimately follows with "The Lord Taketh", but in the latter in the book is not mentioned after the former. What does this show about Addie's role as family member and even her role in the community?
4. Are the obstacles that the Bundren family faces, on their way to Jefferson, the result of external forces being brought upon them or are they sabotaging their own journey through their own motives?
5. The black humor in the novel is often associated with the tragic scenes in the novel. Explain how they are often intertwined. Why is it black humor than just tragedy?
6. Why type of marriage is depicted through Anse and Addie? How does Anse react as an authoritative figure when his wife dies? How does each of the characters feel about their mother and her death?
7. How is Vardaman's childlike language reflecting what ideals are brought upon him by those around him and how can you prove with textual evidence that he trying to understand the world around him?
8. Literary critics have acclaimed this novel to have no character directly concentrated on, despite Darl's continuous narration, but depict that Faulkner introduced the characters all in a similar manner? Why does Faulkner do this and which characters might Faulkner's intended audience find the most trustworthy and relatable?
9. Dewey dell never outwardly mentions her pregnancy. Why do you think Faulkner means for her actions to be representative at times? Include textual evidence where her actions, dreams, etc. are more than her words?
10. Of all the things Addie Bundren could be buried in why would she be buried in a wedding dress? What does this indicate about her relationship with Anse?
11. Faulkner allows Darl and Vardaman to express themselves in ways that would be impossible given their experience. Why does Faulkner break the realistic representation of these two characters especially?
12. Critics claim Darl to be at the peak of existentialism. Find textual evidence that describes Darl to emphasize this philosophy. Through this, what is Faulkner trying to say in regards to existentialism?
13. Why does Faulkner only have Jewel narrate once, like the minor characters, when the rest of the family narrate multiple times? What is Faulkner trying to say about the characterization of Jewel? Also, what effect does the fact that Jewel only narrates one chapter have on the audience’s interpretation of Jewel? Is it limiting?
14. What does Cash's list of 13 reasons for beveling the edges of the coffin reveal about his personality and nature? Why do you think he mentions animal magnetism rather than a human body?
15. Why do you think Faulkner allows Darl to have an omniscient presence throughout the novel? Explain the impact it has on the novel and how does it aid in the characterization of Darl? Also, how does his omniscient narration influence his relationships with other characters?
16. How does Jewel's actions toward his horse correlate with his feelings toward his mother? How is the hostility representative of his feelings toward Addie?
17. Anse Bundren, a southern poor white, may be one of the most unreliable characters in the novel, but why do you think everyone continuously rushes to his aid? Is it out of pity, respect, guilt, charity...What does this say about Anse's character and his manipulation?
18. Darl can be considered a protagonist in the novel, in what ways can he considered one? As an antagonist? If he is either who would be his antithesis?
19. What does Whitfield's sudden change of mind in telling Anse about the affair, after finding out that Addie has died, reflect about his motivation to tell Anse? And explain how it shows his character and compare it to what the others in the novel perceive Whitfield to be.
20. When referring to Cash in the novel, Faulkner almost always mentions the tools at his side. When these tools get scattered what is Faulkner trying to say about Cash's mechanical nature?
21. Compare the motives of each character for going into town to bury their mother? What does this tell you about the family dynamic?
22. How is the absurdism of the situation of the journey contrasted with the depiction of death? How does Faulkner nurture his characters through the absurdism?
23. Using examples from the book, how can you infer that Faulkner's is making fun of the Bundren family based on their actions rather than the southern culture? How can this be disputed otherwise?
24. How does Faulkner seem to elevate Cash as a character? How might this be misleading in Faulkner's actual judgement of Cash?
25. The novel portrays the Bundren family for the yearning of self-sufficiency especially through the children of Anse and Addie? What does this reveal about the family structures of his time and what his opinion is of them?
26. Discuss what you think Jewel means when says “if it had just been me” in reference to his relationship with Addie. Give other examples where Jewel wants an exclusive relationship with Addie ?
27. Why do you think Addie's chapter is placed where it is after she dies? And in what way does it reveal the significance of the earlier chapters?
28. How is Cash representative of the industrial age and advancement of technology in contrast to the traditional ways of his family?
29. Characters in the novel are often portrayed as selfish. How does Faulkner use Dewey Dell's selfishness to foster her manipulative skill?
30. Addie is the center of the novel, how is her burial incongruent with her role in the novel? Is it fitting to Faulkner's emphasis of her as a character? Explain.
31. Addie Bundren cries at Jewel’s bed at night. How does the motivation behind her tears parallel Jewel’s actions in obtaining the horse? Consider the concept of deceit.
32. What is Faulkner's depiction of religion through the minor character of Moseley? Why do you think he includes him in the narration?
33. How does Dewey Dell represent a cyclic repetition of Addie's life and ideology?
34. Darl calls his mother Addie instead of "Ma" after he realizes that Jewel is a product of an affair. Why would the affair affect his relationship with his ma and his existence?
35. Analyze “the road” that Anse Bundren often refers to. How does Faulkner correlate this to Anse’s relationship with God?
36. Discuss what the involvement of Peabody and Cora and Vernon Tull in the Bundren's life say about the importance that Faulkner may portray about community? In reference to religion?
37. What is the relationship between Cora and Tull in terms of their different views on religion?
38. At the river scene, Tull describes how each Bundren family member looks at him. How does Faulkner use this to give insight to the characterization of the book?
39. How would you describe the relationships among the different members of the family? How do the siblings feel about each other?
40. Every character has a motive for going into town, except Darl? Using the text find a possible reason for why Darl wants to go into town?
41. Discuss the different kind of relationships the Bundren siblings have with one another. Is Cora right about Darl being Addie's favorite son?
42. What does Darl's tale about Jewel getting his first horse say about Jewel's personality and the relationship he has with the horse and what it symbolizes?
43. How does Darl's mental disintegration reflected in his language style?
44. Analyze how Faulkner uses Cora’s narration to solely describe how Addie’s appearance is actually like before she dies. Why Does Faulkner specifically use Cora’s narration, when critics claim she might be the most unreliable narrator?
45. How do the names of Cash and Jewel (in the literal sense) show their role in Addie's affection? How does one show unconditional love and the other show immediate satisfaction?
46. How does Cash's evaluation on Darl's mentality and sanity reflect his relationship with Darl? How does his view differ from his other family members?
47. It is widely said that Faulkner's voice mainly comes through Darl's character. If that is true, what is Faulkner trying to say about Darl's insanity in the end and how does it contribute to the meaning of the work?
48. What is Faulkner's intention in portraying the Bundren family as old-fashioned in an age of advancing technology?
49. Analyze how Vardaman is becoming an emblem of his father's beliefs and actions. What kind of relationship does he have with his father and how does that lead him to look up to Tull as an authoritative figure?
50. Why does Faulkner incorporate voices of minor and non-family members in the novel? And what effect does this have to the audience?
51. Bergson's theory of duration states that time is different for every individual and it is not linear. How does Faulkner show this structurally and through the ideology of the characters?
1.Faulkner states that" If there is a villain in the story it is the convention in which people have to live". What does this say about the narratives in the novel? The social class? How does this show Faulkner's outlook of stereotypes in his time?
2. Macgowan's manipulation reveals more about Dewey Dell than himself. How does his chapter infer that Dewey Dell is unsure of Macgowan's "treatment" and what does this exhibit about her personality and intelligence?
3. The common biblical reference "The Lord Giveth" ultimately follows with "The Lord Taketh", but in the latter in the book is not mentioned after the former. What does this show about Addie's role as family member and even her role in the community?
4. Are the obstacles that the Bundren family faces, on their way to Jefferson, the result of external forces being brought upon them or are they sabotaging their own journey through their own motives?
5. The black humor in the novel is often associated with the tragic scenes in the novel. Explain how they are often intertwined. Why is it black humor than just tragedy?
6. Why type of marriage is depicted through Anse and Addie? How does Anse react as an authoritative figure when his wife dies? How does each of the characters feel about their mother and her death?
7. How is Vardaman's childlike language reflecting what ideals are brought upon him by those around him and how can you prove with textual evidence that he trying to understand the world around him?
8. Literary critics have acclaimed this novel to have no character directly concentrated on, despite Darl's continuous narration, but depict that Faulkner introduced the characters all in a similar manner? Why does Faulkner do this and which characters might Faulkner's intended audience find the most trustworthy and relatable?
9. Dewey dell never outwardly mentions her pregnancy. Why do you think Faulkner means for her actions to be representative at times? Include textual evidence where her actions, dreams, etc. are more than her words?
10. Of all the things Addie Bundren could be buried in why would she be buried in a wedding dress? What does this indicate about her relationship with Anse?
11. Faulkner allows Darl and Vardaman to express themselves in ways that would be impossible given their experience. Why does Faulkner break the realistic representation of these two characters especially?
12. Critics claim Darl to be at the peak of existentialism. Find textual evidence that describes Darl to emphasize this philosophy. Through this, what is Faulkner trying to say in regards to existentialism?
13. Why does Faulkner only have Jewel narrate once, like the minor characters, when the rest of the family narrate multiple times? What is Faulkner trying to say about the characterization of Jewel? Also, what effect does the fact that Jewel only narrates one chapter have on the audience’s interpretation of Jewel? Is it limiting?
14. What does Cash's list of 13 reasons for beveling the edges of the coffin reveal about his personality and nature? Why do you think he mentions animal magnetism rather than a human body?
15. Why do you think Faulkner allows Darl to have an omniscient presence throughout the novel? Explain the impact it has on the novel and how does it aid in the characterization of Darl? Also, how does his omniscient narration influence his relationships with other characters?
16. How does Jewel's actions toward his horse correlate with his feelings toward his mother? How is the hostility representative of his feelings toward Addie?
17. Anse Bundren, a southern poor white, may be one of the most unreliable characters in the novel, but why do you think everyone continuously rushes to his aid? Is it out of pity, respect, guilt, charity...What does this say about Anse's character and his manipulation?
18. Darl can be considered a protagonist in the novel, in what ways can he considered one? As an antagonist? If he is either who would be his antithesis?
19. What does Whitfield's sudden change of mind in telling Anse about the affair, after finding out that Addie has died, reflect about his motivation to tell Anse? And explain how it shows his character and compare it to what the others in the novel perceive Whitfield to be.
20. When referring to Cash in the novel, Faulkner almost always mentions the tools at his side. When these tools get scattered what is Faulkner trying to say about Cash's mechanical nature?
21. Compare the motives of each character for going into town to bury their mother? What does this tell you about the family dynamic?
22. How is the absurdism of the situation of the journey contrasted with the depiction of death? How does Faulkner nurture his characters through the absurdism?
23. Using examples from the book, how can you infer that Faulkner's is making fun of the Bundren family based on their actions rather than the southern culture? How can this be disputed otherwise?
24. How does Faulkner seem to elevate Cash as a character? How might this be misleading in Faulkner's actual judgement of Cash?
25. The novel portrays the Bundren family for the yearning of self-sufficiency especially through the children of Anse and Addie? What does this reveal about the family structures of his time and what his opinion is of them?
26. Discuss what you think Jewel means when says “if it had just been me” in reference to his relationship with Addie. Give other examples where Jewel wants an exclusive relationship with Addie ?
27. Why do you think Addie's chapter is placed where it is after she dies? And in what way does it reveal the significance of the earlier chapters?
28. How is Cash representative of the industrial age and advancement of technology in contrast to the traditional ways of his family?
29. Characters in the novel are often portrayed as selfish. How does Faulkner use Dewey Dell's selfishness to foster her manipulative skill?
30. Addie is the center of the novel, how is her burial incongruent with her role in the novel? Is it fitting to Faulkner's emphasis of her as a character? Explain.
31. Addie Bundren cries at Jewel’s bed at night. How does the motivation behind her tears parallel Jewel’s actions in obtaining the horse? Consider the concept of deceit.
32. What is Faulkner's depiction of religion through the minor character of Moseley? Why do you think he includes him in the narration?
33. How does Dewey Dell represent a cyclic repetition of Addie's life and ideology?
34. Darl calls his mother Addie instead of "Ma" after he realizes that Jewel is a product of an affair. Why would the affair affect his relationship with his ma and his existence?
35. Analyze “the road” that Anse Bundren often refers to. How does Faulkner correlate this to Anse’s relationship with God?
36. Discuss what the involvement of Peabody and Cora and Vernon Tull in the Bundren's life say about the importance that Faulkner may portray about community? In reference to religion?
37. What is the relationship between Cora and Tull in terms of their different views on religion?
38. At the river scene, Tull describes how each Bundren family member looks at him. How does Faulkner use this to give insight to the characterization of the book?
39. How would you describe the relationships among the different members of the family? How do the siblings feel about each other?
40. Every character has a motive for going into town, except Darl? Using the text find a possible reason for why Darl wants to go into town?
41. Discuss the different kind of relationships the Bundren siblings have with one another. Is Cora right about Darl being Addie's favorite son?
42. What does Darl's tale about Jewel getting his first horse say about Jewel's personality and the relationship he has with the horse and what it symbolizes?
43. How does Darl's mental disintegration reflected in his language style?
44. Analyze how Faulkner uses Cora’s narration to solely describe how Addie’s appearance is actually like before she dies. Why Does Faulkner specifically use Cora’s narration, when critics claim she might be the most unreliable narrator?
45. How do the names of Cash and Jewel (in the literal sense) show their role in Addie's affection? How does one show unconditional love and the other show immediate satisfaction?
46. How does Cash's evaluation on Darl's mentality and sanity reflect his relationship with Darl? How does his view differ from his other family members?
47. It is widely said that Faulkner's voice mainly comes through Darl's character. If that is true, what is Faulkner trying to say about Darl's insanity in the end and how does it contribute to the meaning of the work?
48. What is Faulkner's intention in portraying the Bundren family as old-fashioned in an age of advancing technology?
49. Analyze how Vardaman is becoming an emblem of his father's beliefs and actions. What kind of relationship does he have with his father and how does that lead him to look up to Tull as an authoritative figure?
50. Why does Faulkner incorporate voices of minor and non-family members in the novel? And what effect does this have to the audience?
51. Bergson's theory of duration states that time is different for every individual and it is not linear. How does Faulkner show this structurally and through the ideology of the characters?