The Saw, the Coffin, and the Fish
Attachment to actions and objects is a recurring theme in William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying, as illustrated through motifs like the saw, the coffin, the fish, the horse, and more. Faulkner repeatedly uses motifs to uniquely depict the intense struggles that the characters experience after the death of Addie. He provides readers with an oddly complex way of connecting with the characters’ emotions and experiences in the book. Although the book can be difficult to follow at times, these motifs really add to the depictions of grief as dark humor in the book. This specific analysis focuses on two of the most central motifs: the saw/coffin and the fish.
The saw, introduced early in the book, is used by Cash to build Addie Bundren’s coffin, which becomes the focal object of the story. Initially, the saw signifies care and dedication; while Addie is still alive, Cash works calmly and meticulously to construct the coffin, ensuring it will be ready for her death. However, once Addie dies, both the coffin and the family’s stability begin to deteriorate. The coffin is mishandled throughout the family’s journey, symbolizing the chaos and fragmentation that emerge after Addie’s death. For the Bundrens, the coffin is more than a physical object; it becomes a representation of their fractured family dynamic. Their mission to lay Addie to rest mirrors their hope that, in finding a secure and stable place for her, they might restore some semblance of stability within themselves.
The fish, another recurring motif, represents Addie herself. Like a fish, which is valued primarily for sustenance, Addie was defined by her usefulness to others throughout her life. Throughout her time on earth, Addie despised her role as a mother. She did everything for her family, working constantly. Yet, she never knew whether she felt love for her children (except Jewel) or her husband. Addie even cheated on Anse in an attempt to get away from her lazy and obnoxious husband. After her death, she continues to provide value to the Bundrens, serving as a unifying force as they undertake their journey to honor her wishes. I suppose that this is why Vardaman views Addie as a fish, because he saw something that similarly experienced struggle and death for others. The fish symbolizes Addie’s essence and the way her presence, even in death, sustains and binds the family.
Together, the saw/coffin and the fish explore Addie’s transition from life to death and emphasize the profound impact of her loss on the Bundren family. These motifs reflect the delicate balance between love and chaos, reality and illusion, as the family navigates the aftermath of Addie’s death. Although they can certainly be difficult to grasp, the motifs really add to the complexity of Faulker’s writing, forcing readers to really analyze the text and take a few extra steps to truly understand each character’s emotions. Faulkner’s writing style might not be my favorite, but I can appreciate his unique representation of emotions and grief.
Hi Larissa, I loved your analysis of the saw, the coffin, and the fish as motifs. I like especially how you connect the coffin to the family’s instability and how by fulfilling her final wishes, there is a hope for restoring stability in the family. And ironically, it works out in an opposite manner by the end of the book, with most of the family suffering. There is the immense emotional weight tied to this physical object, and your analysis covers that well. Do you think these motifs help shape the readers empathy towards the family and Addie?
ReplyDeleteThis is a really insightful take on the motifs in As I Lay Dying. I especially like how you connect the saw and coffin to the family’s instability and the fish to Addie’s complex legacy. Something I’d add is the recurring motif of the horse, particularly Jewel’s relationship with it. While the coffin represents the family’s collective struggle, I feel like the horse reflects Jewel’s individual grief and his sense of duty to protect her memory. It’s interesting how Faulkner uses these objects and symbols to convey layers of emotion without explicitly stating them. (There's also the vultures for Vardaman.)
ReplyDeleteHey Larissa, I really like how you describes the motifs of the saw, coffin, and fish. They really symoblize the family's struggles and complex emotions following Addie's death. There are a lot of difficult-to-undertsand dynamics going on in this novel, and I think it was interesting how Faulkner used these objects to illustrate them (Vardaman and the Fish, Jewel and the Horse, etc.) Good work!
ReplyDeleteHi Larissa! I love how you phrased this theory and it was able to capture some ideas that I didn't know how to materialize. I agree that the items that the characters carried were painted as an important pillar for the book. The idea that these items represent more than the character and come together to represent/give commentary on Addie's death is really interesting, and something I haven't seen before. Normally, I just see people talking about how it elaborates on the characters themselves.
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