As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner - Analysis of Narrative Techniques and Social Context

Explore William Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying" in this 48-minute Yale University lecture from the course "Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Faulkner." Examine the novel's connection to the Great Depression in the South and analyze its narrative techniques through Bakhtin's concept of social dialects and Kermode's idea of narrative secrecy. Delve into the gradual revelation of two key secrets - Dewey Dell's pregnancy and Jewel's birth - through multiple narrators, each representing a distinct Southern dialect. Investigate the chronology, character portrayals, and the unique speech patterns of children in the novel. Gain insights into the moral responsibility of poor whites and the complex family dynamics portrayed in Faulkner's masterpiece.