"A woman is either a lady or not": the influence of mothers on daughters in William Faulkner's "As I lay dying" and "The sound of the fury"

Kristine Robyn Dassinger
Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:51:28 PDT

William Faulkner, in 'As I lay dying' and 'The sound of the fury, ' illustrates the relationship between parents and children within a disintegrating social structure. Not only does the father pass his misogynistic views onto his sons and daughters, but the mother also acts as an agent, perpetuating patriarchal order. Although Addie Bundren discovers that her identity is not defined in male terms, she fails to educate her daughter, Dewey Dell. Rather than struggle against her environment, Addie chooses to die, leaving Dewey Dell alone with her father and brothers. Caroline Compson preserves the patriarchal structures within her life by submitting to her father's definition of women. She then teaches this rigid view to Caddy and little Quentin. Through these failed mother and daughter relationships, Faulkner illustrates how families in the South are destroyed from within.