Character Analysis Of Vardaman Bundren In 'As I Lay Dying'

Carly Chervanik October 15, 2010 Henley 5th period

As I Lay Dying - Vardaman Vardaman Bundren is the youngest of the family, between the ages of ten and thirteen. At first, we think that Vardaman’s character is illiterate just because of his age, however, throughout the novel we learn that it is just the way he is. His character reveals that his idiotic thoughts aren’t so idiotic to himself. He is confused about many things but also has quite an imagination. William Faulkner used Vardaman’s character to write with diction that is almost impossible to read. Faulkner made him speak as a child, because that is just what he is. His sentences are usually drawn out and rarely ever make sense, but that’s
what the readers love about Vardaman, is that he is the most uninformed of the family. He is a fun character to read along with because his chapters usually have something interesting to say in them. Vardaman is very bewildered about his mother, Addie Bundren’s death.
He is not quite sure how to react to it, because he doesn’t really know what is going on and cannot face the reality of her death. At first, Vardaman thinks the Dr. Peabody has killed his mother. “As soon as he gets through kicking I can and then I can cry, the crying can. He kilt her. He kilt her” (54). Initially, Vardaman is convinced that Dr. Peabody killed her because he came to visit Addie and see how she was doing. After she dies, Dr. Peabody had just left which is why Vardaman accuses him of killing her. After realizing what actually happens, he becomes delusional and more distressed. “My mother is fish” (84). Vardaman mistakes his mother for a fish because at the beginning of the novel, he catches a fish and then merely cuts it into pieces. He relates this to his mother because he knows the fish is no longer a fish, and because his mother is dead, he assumes that Addie has transformed into the fish. He still believes that she is alive, however, while she is laying in her coffin. Vardaman reacting this way about this fish is valuable to his character because the reader can comprehend how his brain functions and how he needs to compare his mother’s death to fully value the concept of what is happening. The fish Vardaman relates to his mother’s death is also a sign of symbolism. It relates to symbolism because it could represent the Jesus fish, or ichthys. Since Vardaman killed and cleaned the fish,
it represents Jesus dying yet sacrificing himself for everyone around him. Vardaman seems to have some type of connection with Darl, one of his oldest brothers as well.
He believes that Darl is “strong” and “the best grabbler”. (151) Darl is seen as one of his role models because he trails behind in a lot of his tracks. However, when the family crosses the river and their mothers coffin falls into the water, Vardaman is very disillusioned by the fact that Darl was not able to save the coffin his mother is in. Both of theses characters are also questioned by how something that “is” can become something that “was”. Although to begin with we look at Darl as very intelligent, towards the end we find that he is just as crazy as Vardaman. In a way they sort of mimic each other because both of the characters have “mental issues” that are very obvious to the reader, such as the fish interpretation of Vardaman, and Darl burning down the barn. For some reason, Vardaman usually seems to talk about Darl the most as well. “Darl he went to Jackson is my brother Darl is my brother.”
(249) All in all, Vardaman has an exceptionally strong character, even though he is not the smartest of the family. He plays a major role in the Bundren family, especially talking about the fish and his mothers death. Vardaman is a very appealing character who although may be hard to follow along, but is still a fun character to read along with.
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