Themes: Death

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In a novel focused on a hazardous quest to inter a decomposing body, it's no shock that death emerges as a central theme. The shocked reactions of other characters to the Bundren family's endeavor reveal societal norms about handling the deceased and highlight deep-rooted fears about human mortality. Furthermore, Vardaman's chapters delve into grasping the concept of death, with his bewilderment being both touching and disturbing.

Death as a theme takes on multiple forms throughout the novel. Through Addie's perspective, Faulkner investigates the idea of living in a state of emotional death. Faulkner allows Addie to "speak" from beyond the grave, illustrating one aspect. Conversely, Addie's unmet longing to truly experience life contrasts sharply with Anse, who she perceives as alive yet oblivious to his own emotional emptiness. For Addie, Anse symbolizes confinement, ignorance, and hollowness. Faulkner explores the consequences of such an existence by examining its impact on all his characters, especially those who use clichés to avoid genuine emotions and introspection.

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