Themes: Sanity versus Insanity

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Darl grapples with themes of sanity and madness following Addie's death. Through Addie's monologue, readers discover that she cherished Cash, her eldest, and Jewel, her child with Whitfield, but never wanted or accepted Darl. Darl is acutely aware of her feelings and his lack of a symbolic birthright. He recognizes that Jewel and Cash, who have this birthright, possess a sense of confidence in their lives because of it. Without this affirmation, Darl questions his own identity. With Addie's passing, any chance of receiving the validation he craves from her disappears. He begins to doubt not only his existence but also his sanity and the purpose of their journey. More effort is expended for a deceased Addie than was ever devoted to her while she was living. Like outsiders and neighbors, such as the Tulls, Samson, and the Armstids, Darl questions the need for the burial journey and the madness of leaving Addie unburied for ten days. The odor of her decaying body, the circling vultures, and the perilous crossing of the flood-swollen river, along with Darl's own resentment and emotional distress caused by his mother, ultimately lead him to separate Jewel from Addie in death. These feelings and events culminate in Darl setting fire to Gillespie's barn to destroy Addie's deteriorating body and coffin.

When Darl ignites the barn, his mental stability becomes questionable. In Darl's final monologue, where he refers to himself in the third person as he is taken to the insane asylum in Jackson, Faulkner depicts Darl's madness, yet leaves room for uncertainty regarding Darl's insanity. Three of Darl's family members want him gone. Anse labels Darl as insane to avoid the responsibility of reimbursing Gillespie for the destroyed barn. If Darl is considered sane, the debt must be settled; if deemed insane, the debt is absolved. Dewey Dell desires Darl's removal because he knows of her pregnancy, and Jewel is outraged at Darl for attempting to burn Addie's body. Therefore, it is unsurprising that both restrain him so he can be taken to the asylum. Only Cash and Vardaman lament what happens to Darl, though Cash's sorrow is short-lived.

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Themes: Isolation and Solitude

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Themes: Moving On and Acceptance

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