As I Lay Dying: Jewel and Anse

603 Words3 Pages
As I Lay Dying Prompt #8: Jewel and Anse Anse's selling of Jewel's horse is cruel and does not contribute to the family's greater good; however, Jewel's response to Anse demonstrates his loyalty to his mother. When Anse took Jewel's horse to travel to Snopes' house, Jewel was anxious and distraught. Jewel waited and waited for Anse until he came home and when he finally arrived; little did he know that Anse sold Jewel's own horse without his consent. Anse even looked proud for what he did: "He looked kind of funny: kind of more hangdog than common, and kind of proud too. Like he had done something he thought was cute but wasn't so sho now how other folks would take it." (Pg. 189) While Anse thought that he deserved a pat on the back for buying the mules for the family in exchange of Jewel's horse; it is merely an act of cruelty and selfishness. Anse could have taken Armstid's offer of giving Anse his family of mules; however, Anse declines Amstid's gracious offer and decides to go through with the plan of selling Jewel's horse. He also attempts to justify himself by bringing up how long he went by without teeth and how he sacrificed so much for the family. "For fifteen years I aint had a tooth in my head," he says. "God knows it. He knows in fifteen years I aint et the victuals He aimed for man to eat to keep his strength up, and me saving a nickel here and a nickel there for my family wouldn't suffer it, to buy them teeth so I could eat God's appointed food. I give that money. I thought that if I could do without eating, my sons could do without riding. God knows I did." (Pg. 191) Anse justifies himself by saying that he did not have teeth for fifteen years and sacrificed a lot for his family. He claims that he gave the money that he saved for his teeth for the pack of mules; however, he ultimately stole from Cash and Jewel - money they saved on their own.
Open Document