The novel “As I Lay Dying” by William Faulkner follows a family who is traveling to bury their recently deceased mother in the nearby town of Jefferson. The novel is told from the point of view of monologues, told by each of the characters encountered throughout the story. Specifically, Darl Bundren seems to be the protagonist character of this novel. Darl is the second oldest of the Bundren children and appears to be isolated from the rest of the family. As the story progresses, the reader is made aware of the changes in Darl's attitude and also the reasons why he might change in this particular way. Darl is misunderstood by his family and the other characters around him. Darl Bundren loves his mother Addie Bundren, and it is clear that her death creates internal turmoil for Darl. It isn't necessarily Addie's death that brings stress to Darl, but it is the death that makes Darl realize that Addie preferred her son Jewel over the rest of the Bundren children, including himself. In a section of the novel where Cora Tull is having a conversation with Addie, she recalls that Addie referred 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 simply observes and understands his surroundings. His intelligence and quiet demeanor lead him to think more about himself and dwell on thoughts like Jewel being his favorite child. These tears leave Darl inside, creating stress on Darl that ultimately turns Darl into a cruel big brother to Jewel. As a result, Darl already has his suspicions about Jewel and whether or not she's really his hot spot... middle of paper. .....the reason Darl has this "sixth sense" is because Darl could be used as the voice of author William Faulkner to describe the Bundren family to the reader in as much detail as possible. It is clear to the reader that Darl's attitudes and the reasons behind his actions change throughout the story. Darl is a powerful character and is very intelligent, which also leads to his flaw. He acts in a particular way but as we wander into Darl's mind we can see that he may be acting in a certain way not just because he is crazy. Darl is under a lot of stress over his mother's death, dealing with a dysfunctional family, or the potential shock of war. Works Cited Faulkner, William. “As I lay dying.” American literature between the wars 1914-1945. New York: W. W. Norton, 2003. 1693-790. Press.