The Unique Image Of Addie In As I Lay Dying

William Faulkner was one of the greatest modernist writers in the20th century, and As I Lay Dying (1930) is one of his masterpieces. On the basis of a close reading of the text, by using the literary theory of feminism this thesis focuses on the unique image of Addie Bundren.This thesis mainly consists of an introduction, three chapters and a conclusion. The introduction includes the literature review on As I Lay Dying, the significance of this thesis and the outline of this thesis. Chapter One examines Addie’s image as "the Other" and the one who cannot be understood by her female companions, and explores how she turns to be the marginalized in the woeful situation in the patriarchal society. In the1920s, American South was a society with the males at the center, where some females accepted and even internalized patriarchal culture. This in turn leads to the young self-conscious protagonist becoming a lonely "Other" among females. Chapter Two concentrates on her unique image as a brave fighter, who driven by the strong selfhood, rebels against the conventional code of the patriarchal culture. As a brave female in American South, when facing the moral confinement of the patriarchy, Addie challenges the society in her own way. Chapter Three probes into the issue of image of Addie as an anti-Christian in the devotional world by analyzing the death of God. Unlike other pious women, Addie not only denies the benevolence and omnipotence of God, but also overthrows traditional immortality by her attitude towards life and death; hence her anti-Christianity can be manifested.Therefore, this thesis’s analysis on Addie’s complicated image cannot only draw more concern for the female situation and the universal predicament of womankind. Meanwhile, it also shows Faulkner’s concern for females and their spirit of revolt, endurance and their fate.