Armstid explained

What happens

Themes in this chapter

• Family Duty and Selfishness

  Anse prioritizes his teeth and a talking machine over his wife's burial and his sons' welfare, while Jewel's sacrifice of his horse and Cash's silent endurance highlight conflicting family obligations.

• Suffering and Endurance

  Cash's leg is set without anesthetic, the family camps in the heat with Addie's decaying body, and they endure physical and emotional pain without complaint.

• Class and Poverty

  The Bundrens' poverty is stark: Anse trades essential farm equipment and his son's horse for a worn-out team, and they rely on neighbors' charity for food and shelter.

Characters to notice

• Armstid

  Narrator and farmer who offers his team and hospitality; observes the Bundrens' dysfunction with a mix of exasperation and reluctant pity.

• Anse Bundren

  Reveals he traded Cash's money for a talking machine and tried to swap Jewel's horse for a team; mumbles self-pityingly about his teeth and trials, showing his manipulative selfishness.

• Jewel Bundren

  Furious when he learns Anse tried to swap his horse; rides off on it, but later the horse is found back at Snopes' barn, suggesting he returned it.

• Cash Bundren

  Lies on a pallet atop the coffin with a broken leg; his leg is set by Uncle Billy, and he asks for his tools, which Darl brings.

• Darl Bundren

  Calmly exposes Anse's trade of Cash's money; brings Cash's tools and helps during the leg-setting.

• Dewey Dell Bundren

  Holds the lamp during Cash's leg-setting and wipes his mouth; attends to his needs.

Key passages

• “I be durn if there ain't something about a durn fellow like Anse that seems to make a man have to help him, even when he knows he'll be wanting to kick himself next minute.”

  Armstid feels compelled to help Anse despite knowing he'll regret it.

  Highlights Anse's manipulative ability to elicit reluctant aid from others.

• “For fifteen years I ain't had a tooth in my head... I give that money. I thought that if I could do without eating, my sons could do without riding.”

  Anse justifies trading Cash's money for teeth by claiming his own sacrifice entitles him to take from his sons.

  Exposes Anse's self-serving logic and disregard for his children's needs.

• “Jewel stands with his hands on his hips, looking at Anse. Then he looks away... then he spit, slow, and said 'Hell' and he turned and went on to the gate and unhitched the horse and got on it.”

  Jewel's silent fury at Anse's betrayal leads him to ride off on his horse.

  Demonstrates Jewel's deep bond with his horse and his contempt for his father.