How does As I Lay Dying use multiple narrators?

In his 1930 novel As I Lay Dying, William Faulkner utilizes a stream-of-consciousness narrative technique to tell the story of the Bundren family’s journey.12

The novel features 15 different narrators who take turns providing their perspectives through interior monologue. By fragmenting and intercutting these voices, Faulkner allows the reader to experience the narrative through the distinct thoughts and dialect of various characters, including the family matriarch, Addie Bundren, her husband, Anse, and their children.12

This experimental structure varies significantly in chapter length—with some chapters being extremely brief—and continues to provide insight into the characters' internal states even after Addie’s death. Through this multi-perspective approach, the novel captures the complex, subjective realities of the characters as they navigate their difficult journey.12