In 1930, around the time when Sigmund Freud’s theories were gaining popularity, William Faulkner wrote As I Lay Dying. The story focuses on the death of a mother named Addie and her family’s reaction and grieving process. Faulkner’s portrayal of this situation aligns with many of Freud’s theories on defense mechanisms. According to Freud, defense mechanisms are the subconscious mind’s way of distorting reality in order to protect itself from anxiety caused by challenges from external and internal sources (Friedman 39).The lack of a mourning process by the family, their obsession with burying Addie in Jefferson, and their desire for materialistic items all serve as examples of Freud’s defense mechanisms. Faulkner effectively portrays Freud’s theories of reaction formation, rationalization, displacement, and sublimation through the family’s response to Addie’s death and their grieving process. The town minister, Whitfield, who has an affair with Addie and fathered her illegitimate child, Jewel, exemplifies reaction formation according to Freud’s idea, which is a defense mechanism that involves overly emphasizing the opposite impulses in one’s thoughts and actions (Friedman 41).
Whitfield was aware that his affair was a sinful act, as the Bible clearly condemns adultery. However, he chose to keep it a secret and continued to preach the teachings of the Bible. Upon hearing about Addie’s illness, Whitfield acknowledges the severity of his sin. He finally sees the truth and falls on his knees to confess his wrongdoing to God, seeking guidance which he receives (Faulkner 177). According to Whitfield, God instructs him to go to the Bundrens’ home and openly confess his sin. However, when Whitfield arrives, he finds out that Addie has already passed away. Despite the Bible’s teachings that one must confess their sins, Whitfield decides to keep his secret. This decision is another act that goes against the Bible. Whitfield’s final action of reciting a prayer as he leaves the Bundren home, saying “God’s grace upon this house” (Faulkner 179), can be interpreted as an example of reaction formation according to Freudian theory. It suggests that Whitfield is using a defense mechanism by preaching even though he himself has sinned. Another defense mechanism used in Faulkner’s novel is rationalization, which is another aspect of Freud’s theories.
Throughout the Bundrens’ journey to fulfill Addie’s wish of being buried in Jefferson, there are multiple instances in which they act irrationally. Freud suggests that rationalization occurs when individuals provide logical explanations for behaviors that are actually driven by unconscious motives (Friedman 49). In the case of the Bundrens, their journey to Jefferson, which they only embarked on ten days after Addie’s death, can be deemed unreasonable. Not only is Jefferson a considerable distance away, but the bridge to reach it is flooded. Additionally, being a poor family, they must rely on the assistance of others during their journey.
Although Anse, Addie’s husband, appears unaffected by grief and does not acknowledge her death, it becomes evident that he is determined to take her to Jefferson, disregarding warnings of rain and a flooded bridge (Faulkner 86). Despite waiting for ten days before embarking on the dangerous journey, the Bundrens still find justification in going to Jefferson to lay Addie to rest. Tull explains that Anse “made a promise” to her and that “she desired it. She hailed from there. Her mind was set on it” (Faulkner 89). While it may seem reasonable for a man to fulfill his dying wife’s wish, the circumstances of reaching Jefferson are illogical and unrealistic.
Once the Bundrens finally arrive in Jefferson, it becomes evident that Anse had justified the journey as a way to acquire dentures and find a new wife. He even admits, “now I can get them teeth. That will be a comfort,” utilizing this as a coping mechanism for dealing with the loss of Addie. Anse is leveraging Addie’s demise as a pretext for going to Jefferson and obtaining new dentures. Instead of grieving Addie’s passing and laying her to rest at home, the Bundrens grapple internally with their mother’s death and divert their attention towards delivering her to Jefferson so they can pay a pilgrimage there themselves.
In the final days of Addie’s life, her son Cash chose to build her coffin right outside her window. According to Freudian concepts, Cash was displacing his emotions about his mother’s impending death. Displacement is a defense mechanism where one’s unconscious fears or desires are shifted away from the true cause (Friedman 47). In this case, Cash’s unconscious fears revolve around his mother’s illness and inevitable death, and he redirects his focus towards building her coffin instead of being with her or offering comfort. Cash’s preoccupation with the coffin persists even after Addie passes away. In the first chapter of the novel, Cash meticulously explains his reasoning behind constructing the coffin. He mentions that “the animal magnetism of a dead body makes the stress come slanting, so the seams and joints of a coffin are made on the bevel” (Friedman 47). While building the coffin may be a significant contribution to Addie’s burial, Cash becomes completely consumed by thoughts of the coffin rather than mourning his mother. Another one of Addie’s sons also exhibits displacement as a reaction to her death. Vardaman believes that the doctor, Peabody, is responsible for causing his mother’s demise.
Vardaman expresses his grief by blaming Peabody’s horses for his mother’s death and physically attacking them. Freud would categorize this behavior as displacement, as Vardaman directs his emotions towards innocent animals who are not responsible for his loss. Faulkner also explores the concept of sublimation as a defense mechanism, as multiple characters cope with Addie’s death by focusing on acquiring new possessions or pursuing personal desires.
The Bundrens have various desires and concerns. Anse wants new teeth, Cash wants a gramophone, Dewey Dell wants an abortion, and Jewel is deeply attached to his horse. According to Freudian theory, sublimation refers to channeling unacceptable urges into socially acceptable motivations (Friedman 48). Faulkner employs this concept in his characters’ absence of mourning for their loss and redirecting their fear towards something tangible but less significant. Dewey Dell consistently expresses her anxiety about her pregnancy in the novel.
According to Faulkner (59), Dewey Dell expresses that after her mother’s death, she had to seek solace from sources beyond herself, her brother Lafe, and her brother Darl because Lafe could provide immense support that he is unaware of. Due to her pregnancy and obsession with terminating the pregnancy, Dewey Dell cannot concentrate on anything, including her mother’s passing. During this excerpt, she questions Peabody’s capability to aid her in obtaining an abortion. Once they arrive in Jefferson, Dewey Dell promptly locates a doctor who can perform the procedure. She desperately explains to the drugstore clerk that she requires assistance with “female trouble” and emphasizes that she possesses the necessary funds for it (Faulkner 243).
The Bundren family completes a dangerous and exhausting journey to bury Addie in Jefferson, sublimating their loss of her. However, it becomes clear that their motives for reaching Jefferson were ulterior and selfish. After finally completing the treacherous journey, Anse sublimates his relationship with Addie and her loss by acquiring new teeth and getting a new wife. Cash introduces his new wife to Anse, who proudly acknowledges his children despite not looking at them. Anse quickly replaces his wife and carries on with his life as if unaffected by the loss of Addie, sublimating his grief with new teeth and a new spouse. Freud’s studies on the unconscious mind gained popularity in the 1920s and 1930s, coinciding with Faulkner’s rise as a writer. It is possible that Faulkner’s stream of consciousness writing was influenced by Freud’s theories. Although Faulkner provides detailed insight into the characters’ thoughts and emotions, none of them truly seem to mourn Addie’s loss.
Instead of showing real signs of missing Addie or mourning her, the Bundrens focus their attention on the daunting and unrealistic task of moving her body to Jefferson. It takes them around twenty days to finally bury her. Throughout this process, the characters express many themes of defense mechanisms in coping with their loss. They prioritize what to do with her body and other seemingly important matters. Faulkner drew inspiration from Freud’s ideas of reaction formation, rationalization, displacement, and sublimation, which his characters use to manage the loss of their wife and mother.
