As I Lay Dying is a novel by the Nobel Prize winning author William Faulkner that was first published in 1930. It is a work of some daring—one that forgoes the unified perspective of a single narrator and fragments its text into 59 segments voiced from 15 different perspectives. Its structuring requires readers to take an active part in constructing the story and allows for multiple and sometimes conflicting interpretations while enabling the achievement of remarkable levels of psychological insight.

Summary

Read the detailed segment-by-segment Summary & Analysis or the Full Book Summary of As I Lay Dying.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in As I Lay Dying and in-depth analyses of Addie Bundren, Darl Bundren, and Jewel Bundren.

Literary Devices

Here is where you will find analysis of the main themes, motifs, and symbols in As I Lay Dying.

Deeper Study

Go further in your study of As I Lay Dying by reading background information about William Faulkner and his novel as well as mini essays on key topics.