The novel “As I Lay Dying” by William Faulkner follows a family who are on a journey to bury their recently deceased mother in nearby Jefferson City. The novel is told through monologues, told by each of the characters encountered throughout the story. Specifically, Darl Bundren appears to be the main character in this novel. Darl is the second eldest of the Bundren children and seems isolated from the rest of the family. As the novella progresses, the reader is made aware of the changes in Darl's attitude as well as the reasons why he may be changing in this particular way. Darl is misunderstood by his family and by the other characters around him. Darl Bundren loves his mother Addie Bundren, and it is obvious that her death is creating internal turmoil for Darl. It's not necessarily Addie's death that stresses Darl out, but it's the death that makes Darl realize that Addie favored her son Jewel over the rest of the Bundren children, including himself. In a section of the novel where Cora Tull has a conversation with Addie, she remembers Addie referring to Jewel as, "My cross and he will be my salvation." He will save me from water and fire” (1755). Darl is a very intelligent character who tends to remain silent throughout the novel and just observes and understands the environment around him. His intelligence and calm demeanor cause him to think more of himself and dwell on thoughts such as Jewel being the favorite son. This tears Darl apart inside, creating stress on Darl that eventually turns Darl into a cruel older brother to Jewel. Therefore, Darl already has suspicions about Jewel and wonders whether or not he is really her brother... middle of paper. .....the reason Darl is able to have this "sixth sense" is because Darl could be used as the voice of the author William Faulkner to describe to the reader the most details about the Bundren house. to the reader that Darl's attitudes and reasons for his actions change throughout the novella. Darl is a powerful and very intelligent character, which also leads to one of his flaws. He acts a certain way, but as we move away from Darl's mind, we can see that maybe he's acting a certain way not just because he's crazy. Darl is under great stress following the death of his mother, the problems of a dysfunctional family or his possible shell shock due to the war. Works Cited Faulkner, William. "As I'm dying." American literature between the wars 1914-1945. New York: WW Norton, 2003. 1693-790. Print.