As I Lay Dying Lesson Plan

One of the strengths of As I Lay Dying's narrative structure is that we are able to see the same event from multiple points of view, which gives us insight into how each character thinks. How, for instance, does Cora Tull perceive the lumber job, and what is the reality of the situation?

At the heart of As I Lay Dying is the inherent tension in what we think versus what we say or do, and how that tension can affect our relationships with others. Cora Tull allows her preconceived notions toward Darl and Jewel to misread the reality of the lumber job. Her dislike of Jewel leads her to assume that he is eager to make money and leave his mother to die, when in fact the...