The First Day.

It's a wonderful experience to work with a group of intelligent, intellectually curious adults in talking about a book they've all read.

Today was the first of six classes. We discussed the first half of As I Lay Dying. After a brief introduction and overview, one of the first questions I got was about Vardaman Bundren's "My mother is a fish." chapter. I expected it, but not so soon. The students (about 23-24) seem ready for the challenges Faulkner can offer, and they posed some great questions. We talked a lot about this section, which focuses on Dewey Dell and Dr. Peabody:

She was old and sick too. Suffering more than we knew. She couldn't have got well. Vardaman's getting big now, and with you to take good care of them all. I would try not to let it grieve me. I expect you'd better go and get some supper ready. It dont have to be much. But they'll need to eat, and she looking at him, saying You could do so much for me if you just would. If you just knew. I am I and you are you and I know it and you dont know it and you could do so much for me if you just would and if you just would then I could tell you and then nobody would have to know it except you and me and Darl.

Here, Darl imagines how his sister Dewey Dell is reacting to their mother's death (as well as a secret she's keeping). The more we reread and discussed, the more clear it became how creatively Faulkner overlaps the characters' emotions, personalities, and minds. One student said that we just have to trust Faulkner and we'll get it.

I'm looking forward to this experience. It's also a little strange--good strange--to be among the youngest in the group, since I'm usually almost twice my students' ages. These students are mostly adults in their 40s-50s and older, and they're already a great, engaged group. And, they now know a little more about why Addie Bundren is a fish.