# Jewel Bundren — As I Lay Dying character guide > Jewel Bundren in As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Jewel **First appearance:** 0005-jewel ## Snapshot Addie's fierce, illegitimate favorite, a hot-tempered young man whose violent devotion to his mother burns hotter than anyone else's grief. ## Who they are Jewel is the son Addie labored for and coddled, a stiff-backed, high-colored young man who traded secret night work for the horse he loves and who cannot bear a stranger's insult over his mother's coffin. His rage flashes fast and physical, as when he whirls on a man in town and nearly comes to knives, and his grief expresses itself as fury rather than tears. His fierce, unspoken bond with Addie and his friction with Darl drive much of the family's tension on the road. ## Relationships ### [Cash Bundren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/cash_bundren) _family_ Brothers with a tense, unspoken rivalry, yet bound by shared duty and Addie's death. ### [Darl Bundren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/darl_bundren) _family_ Brothers with deep antagonism; Darl's perceptiveness clashes with Jewel's fierce, inarticulate nature. ### [Dewey Dell Bundren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/dewey_dell_bundren) _family_ Siblings with little direct warmth; Dewey Dell resents Jewel's favored status and his harshness. ### [Vernon Tull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/vernon_tull) _social_ Jewel views Tull with contempt and impatience, while Tull observes him with wary curiosity. ### [Anse Bundren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/anse_bundren) _family_ Father and son; Anse exploits Jewel's strength and resentment, while Jewel silently despises his father's laziness. ### [Gillespie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/gillespie) _social_ Barn owner and desperate traveler; Gillespie is a reluctant host, and Jewel is a fierce, reckless presence. ### [Mack](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/mack) _social_ Brief encounter; Mack is a minor figure in the journey, and Jewel treats him with typical hostility. ### [Cora Tull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/cora_tull) _social_ Neighbor and young man; Cora disapproves of Jewel's temper and pride, seeing him as sinful. ### [Cash Bundren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/cash_bundren) _family_ Brothers with a tense, unspoken rivalry, yet bound by shared duty and Addie's death. ### [Darl Bundren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/darl_bundren) _family_ Brothers with deep antagonism; Darl's perceptiveness clashes with Jewel's fierce, inarticulate nature. ### [Cash Bundren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/cash_bundren) _family_ Brothers with a tense, unspoken rivalry, yet bound by shared duty and Addie's death. ### [Darl Bundren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/darl_bundren) _family_ Brothers with deep antagonism; Darl's perceptiveness clashes with Jewel's fierce, inarticulate nature. ## In the story ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Walks behind Darl, steps through the cotton-house windows in a stiff, almost inhuman manner. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Engages in a violent, ritualistic taming of his horse, showing his fierce independence and connection to the animal. ### [Jewel](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/jewel) Narrates the chapter, expressing rage and helplessness over his mother's dying condition and the public spectacle of the coffin. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Speaks harshly and savagely, showing impatience and resentment toward the coffin-building. ### [Cora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/cora) Criticized for prioritizing a three-dollar haul over his mother's farewell kiss. ### [Dewey Dell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/dewey-dell) Described as uncaring and not truly kin in feeling; Darl insists on taking him along to help load. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Rides ahead on the wagon, refusing to look back or acknowledge Darl's words about Addie. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Is with Darl on the haul, struggling with a broken wagon wheel in the rain, unaware of Addie's death. ### [Vardaman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/vardaman) Jewel is referenced indirectly through Vardaman's cursing of the cow 'like Jewel does,' indicating Jewel's characteristic behavior. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Sits rigidly, focused on his horse, and reacts angrily to Darl's comments. ### [Cash](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/cash) Jewel curses at Cash, demanding he pick up the boards and finish the coffin. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Furious and desperate, he carries the front of the coffin alone, refusing to wait, and curses Darl at the end. ### [Vardaman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/vardaman) Defies Anse's order to leave his horse behind, heading to the barn instead. ### [Anse](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/anse) Approaching on his horse, mentioned by Cash. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Rides ahead on his horse, aloof and swift, passing the wagon without acknowledgment. ### [Samson](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/samson) Rides the spotted horse, insists on paying for extra feed to avoid being beholden, and is described as the one 'folks talks about.' ### [Dewey Dell](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/dewey-dell) Sits on his horse, gazing straight ahead, unresponsive to Darl's calls. ### [Tull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/tull) Angry and impatient, he threatens Tull and insists on crossing despite the danger. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Secretly works at night to earn money for a horse; appears exhausted and gaunt. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Rides his horse ahead, impatient and aggressive, determined to force the crossing despite the danger. ### [Tull](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/tull) Fights to control his horse and helps snub the wagon after the accident. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Takes charge of the tool recovery, diving repeatedly into the cold river despite the danger. ### [Cora](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/cora) Mentioned as Addie's favorite child and the object of her misplaced salvation. ### [Addie](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/addie) Addie's favorite child, born from her affair; she associates him with the 'wild blood' and her act of 'cleaning the house.' ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Rides ahead on his horse, later tends to it with a mix of aggression and care. ### [Armstid](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/armstid) 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. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Approaches the wagon silently, wooden-backed and wooden-faced, and gets in without a word. ### [Vardaman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/vardaman) Returns on foot, having lost his horse; walking behind the wagon. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Responds angrily to Darl's questions about his father. ### [Vardaman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/vardaman) Mentioned as part of the group that carries Addie's body to the barn. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Frantically rescues horses and mules, then re-enters the burning barn to save Addie's coffin, sustaining burns. ### [Vardaman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/vardaman) Lying on his face with a burned back; Dewey Dell applies a medicine made of butter and soot. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Violently reacts to a white man's shocked expression, nearly starting a fight; later squats on the wheel hub, silent and rigid. ### [Cash](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/cash) Angry at Darl; wants to tie him up; struggles with Darl during the arrest. ### [Darl](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/darl) Jewel stands beside the wagon in the square, looking up the street, a figure of departure. ### [Cash](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/chapters/cash) Impatient to get Cash's leg fixed and suspicious of Anse's delays. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters/jewel_bundren - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/as_i_lay_dying_se/characters