Timidstone's review
As I Lay Dying
by William C. Faulkner
The stream-of-consciousness style was in its infancy when Joyce and Virginia Woolf were first trying it out. I agree that Faulkner took it a step further.
Timidstone's review
As I Lay Dying by William C. Faulkner
Timidstone's review
rating:
11/30 Currently about half-way through the book, thanks to a good friend who lent it me for Thanksgiving break. A few things Faulkner does, in my mind, that make this superior to Ulysses, the other great work of stream-of-consciousness:
1) polyvocality. Meaning, there are several voices that are represented. (If James Joyce had done this in Ulysses, maybe I'd be able to read it entirely.) Sometimes you're even lucky enough to experience a scene from several perspectives, and how often do we get to do this in real life? (Hint: The answer is never.)
2) short chapters. It keeps things moving... even though the characters themselves are sometimes slow to move.
3) realism. These characters feel like real people. Very fitting for a book that represents the way we think.
4) understandability. Although Fualkner may first stun you with the introduction of a new theme or character, in a few chapters he usually provides enough hints that you can figure out what's goin...more
1) polyvocality. Meaning, there are several voices that are represented. (If James Joyce had done this in Ulysses, maybe I'd be able to read it entirely.) Sometimes you're even lucky enough to experience a scene from several perspectives, and how often do we get to do this in real life? (Hint: The answer is never.)
2) short chapters. It keeps things moving... even though the characters themselves are sometimes slow to move.
3) realism. These characters feel like real people. Very fitting for a book that represents the way we think.
4) understandability. Although Fualkner may first stun you with the introduction of a new theme or character, in a few chapters he usually provides enough hints that you can figure out what's goin...more
The stream-of-consciousness style was in its infancy when Joyce and Virginia Woolf were first trying it out. I agree that Faulkner took it a step further.