Analysis
The sudden introduction of Addie’s voice into the narrative
is puzzling, and, like Darl’s uncanny ability early in the novel
to know what is happening at home even though he is nowhere nearby, Addie’s
monologue defies logical explanation. It is, however, quite well
placed, and provides us with more perspective on the characters.
Addie’s description of Anse as a disheveled bachelor, and of their
courtship as brief and matter-of-fact, accounts for his seeming lack
of concern for Addie’s death and his various failures as a father. Once
we learn that Jewel is an illegitimate son, the mystery behind Addie’s
intense attachment to him is solved. For all the value we place
on Addie’s commentary, however, she herself has little faith in words,
and understands their limits. After giving birth to Cash, she expresses
her disillusionment by proclaiming that “[w]ords were no good.”
The words “marriage” and “motherhood” have been robbed of their
expressiveness, and no longer have anything to do with Addie’s experience.
Just as linguistic representations of the abstract concepts of marriage
and motherhood have become meaningless for Addie, so have the actual
institutions been stripped of their positive qualities.
Addie’s disillusionment with religion points to a deeper
preoccupation in the novel with the extent to which religion, sin,
and morality determine the actions of the characters. Although these
elements factor heavily into the events of the novel, Faulkner is
rarely moralistic or judgmental: although some characters know what
is right and wrong, they often feel free to disregard that awareness,
while other characters, such as Addie, are confused about what is
morally correct in the first place.
Addie’s spiritual crisis stands in stark contrast with
that of Whitfield, whose spiritual integrity remains untarnished
in spite of all his failings. Whitfield’s strong and pronounced
resolution to confess all to Anse dissipates as soon as Whitfield
learns of Addie’s death, and he lamely justifies himself by claiming
that God will accept his intention to confess in place of the actual
confession. This weakness, however, does not cost Whitfield any
of his esteem, and Faulkner shows a rather undisguised contempt
for the clergy in this passage. Perhaps the greatest irony occurs
with Cora’s condemnation of Addie for her pride and her statement
that not even Whitfield’s prayers can save Addie from her vanity.
Soon after the words are out of Cora’s mouth, however, we learn
about the affair, and Whitfield’s whole character is unveiled to
us as a sham. In fact, Whitfield’s spiritual hypocrisy is similar
to Anse’s shameless exploitation of religious faith to justify his
own interests. Whitfield, however, retains the admiration of the
community, whereas Anse seems to be more or less despised. The contrast
between the difficulty that the Bundrens face in crossing the river
and Whitfield’s relatively easy passage to apparent absolution strongly
hints that divine justice is unfair.
