Significance+of+the+Horse

Horses appear multiple times in a multitude of ways throughout the novel, specifically relating to Jewel. The use of a horse begins with Darl's second chapter when he describes the wild relationship between Jewel and his horse, a friendly but occasionally violent relationship. The horse follows Jewel's whistles, then turns on Jewel: "When Jewel can almost touch him, the horse stands on his hind legs and slashes down at Jewel" (12). After a brief "hiatus", Jewel becomes one with horse galloping all over the place, but when Jewel gets off the horse again, the horse attacks him again. Later on in the story, while the Bundren's are all in the wagon, Jewel is riding by himself on the horse, occasionally going off at night. Cash's leg, which causes him so much pain, is casted by a horse doctor. After the river incident, Anse takes Jewel's horse off to trade it for some mules, but eventually Jewel takes the horse back before leaving it at the trading site. Finally, towards the end of the novel Darl antagonizes Jewel by calling his mother a "horse". To me, the horse represents betrayal, but what are your thoughts? If the horse does represent betrayal, why would Faulkner use a horse as a motif? 1205288843

In relationship to Jewel especially, I had always thought of the horse as a symbol of the result of hard work. Jewel worked long nights consistently to earn the horse and it was obviously very important to him because of all that it represented. However, considering what eventually happens to the horse, I can see your theme of betrayal. Jewel's family, in a way, betrays him. They travel foolishly and because of this, Jewel must give up his horse in order for them to continue on their journey. I also saw the symbol of sacrifice in this gesture. Jewel sacrifices his horse, something that is of great value to him, out of love and respect for his mother's last wishes. I'm not sure if the themes of sacrifice and betrayal can mesh together. Taking the Bundren family's actions into account, I can definitely see the reflection of betrayal, but part of me still wants to focus on Jewel's sacrifice in this situation. To discuss the seemingly bad behavior of the horse when Jewel tries to command it--- Doesn't that almost parallel how other characters describe Jewel? I am think in particular of Cora Tull. Though we know she was not always the most reliable narrator, she portrays Jewel as a wild and disobedient son. After finishing the book, I'd have to say that I disagree with that. Maybe both Jewel and his horse are misunderstood rebels. 1205351390

I agree with Kho in that horse in this novel is most likely a symbol of hard work, yet it is also important to remember although horse are domesticated and do whatever humans bid them to do, they were once wild animals who are now ridden on top of and whipped and spurred to go and do whatever people want them to do. And in //As I Lay Dying// people like Cash, Darl, Jewel, and other various characters all embark on the journey that abuses them and causes them great grief, sacrifice and pain, yet they keep on going despite it all. Just like a horse that is being whipped, rather than slowing it speeds up. When Cash breaks his leg rather than stopping his family and making them turn back so he might actually have a chance at keeping his leg, he tells them he'll be fine and keeps on going. The horse is a symbol of work ethic and sacrifice no matter what in //As I Lay Dying//1205369426

I can definitely see how the horse thing could be a representation of the hard work that Jewel puts forth to obtain it, but I also think that it's a symbol of how misplaced his affections are. He clearly loves that horse more than anything in the world, and he was willing to spend all of that time and effort in an attempt to get it, and yet he barely puts any effort forth to be kind to his mother while she is passing away, and he certainly doesn't show any kindness to his family members after she finally dies. I believe the horse is the symbol of all of Jewel's affection and love rolled into one creature, because he doesn't know where else to put that love. He doesn't understand how to feel affection towards his family members, so he put all that effort into obtaining something that he could love without conditions. 1205371131

I agree that Jewel put all of his affection towards the horse. In the novel he is so focused on the horse and spending time with and so on. I like the connection of the horse being a symbol of hard work. With that said this may be why Jewel was so drawn to it. He saw a connection between the horse and himself. This could be possible because I wouldn't consider Jewel to be the most normal of people. The horse might be Jewel's escape. The horse can't connect to him on a human level so the horse can not abandon him, reject him, etc. The horse is always there and Jewel can find comfort in it whenever he wants. The connection of both of them having a strong work ethic is all Jewel needs. After the death of his mother, he turns to the horse because he has learned to put his love into that horse. He may be mistreating his family, however he has never turned to them before so why should he turn to them now? He finds comfort in the horse.1205379093

To me the symbolism of the horse is a way for Faulkner to show us how much his character Jewel really loved his mother. Jewel worked long and hard to get that horse. He not only had to work his regular chores on the farm he also worked nights doing the same type of work for weeks in order to save up enough to get his horse. From the reaction that he had when he was informed that the father was going to use the horse to buy mules to carry Abbie's body he was furious and ran off. Yet the horse still showed up at the place it needed to be for the trade to work out. Jewel could have easily just ran away and kept the horse since it was his right, he had earned it but he gave up the horse so that his dead mother could reach her burial ground. This shows real sacrifice and it is this type of sacrifice of something that was truly his something that he really cares about that shows how much he cared for his mother that even just her last wish on her deathbead would make him give up something that he truely loves. user:DGr-c

When I thought of Jewel adn his horse I thought about how the horse was really his only family left. It is interesting that beytrayal was brouight up because it works with what I was thinking. All of Jewels family have betrayed him in some way. None of them really show him any care other tahn his mother, but she dies when Jewel is away. I tried to link that to when Jewel was not near his horse (or on it) it would kick at him. Jewel was not near his beloved mother when she died and maybe that was an inkling of betrayal too. I think when he is willing to sacrifice his only thing left dear to him it is him trying to make ammends for not being there when his mother died. I think I could be thinking too much into it, but the talk of betrayal could be used for the horse betraying Jewel, Anse betraying Jewel by trying to trade it, and Jewel betraying his mother.1205442826