Vardaman V (150-151)

"The One That Got Away"

Vardaman sees the whole thing go down, with Darl bailing and the coffin floating away. Vardaman reproves Darl because he knows she's faster in the water (because she's a fish): "...catch her Darl because in the water she could go faster than a man..."(150).

Vardaman V, Darl XII, and Tull VI tell the same story from three different perspectives, a la Rashomon.

Note that these sentences lack punctuation and are run-ons. Remember that Vardaman is mentally challenged and these events are happening in "real time."

Ironically, Vardaman takes Darl to task, but with a twist: "You knew she is a fish but you let her get away" (151).

Vardaman IV (100-102)

"Wagon Full of Crazy"

Vardaman is excited about going to town because of the the toy train.

Jewel insists on taking his horse, ignoring Anse's instructions not to.

When Vardaman says his mother is a fish, Darl taunts Jewel by telling him his horse is his mother. Darl says he himself has no mother.

Cash is carrying his tool box so he can stop off at Tull's on the way back to work on Tull's barn. Dewey Dell carries the cakes.

Note how everyone on this trip has a motive other than burying Addie.

Also note how Anse thinks it's disrespectful to use the trip for other things. We discover that this is an extremely ironic observation on his part.

Vardaman III (84)

"My Mother Is a Fish"

Vardaman thinks his mother is a fish.

Everything to do with Vardaman has been building up to this statement.

Is this funny? Or just sad?

How do we learn to make sense of death? Vardaman is mentally challenged, but he has managed to make sense of it in his own way.

Vardaman II (65-67)

"Bananas and Trains"

We can begin to see Vardaman's confused mind in this chapter. He wonders if they will put Addie in the coffin. He remembers how he was once trapped in a crib (he had trouble breathing in it), and thinks about a rabbit he once had.

He thinks about bananas, and about the toy train he saw in town once. NOW we see his motivation for going to Jefferson.

How does Vardaman make sense of Addie's death? "Then it wasn't and she was, and now it is and she wasn't" (67).

Vardaman's chapters may be hard to follow, but if you consciously remember the physical objects as you read, it will help you keep track of his mind.

Vardaman I (53-57)

"Vardaman's Revenge"

Vardaman, not understanding, blames Peabody for killing his mom. He runs around until he finds Peabody's horses and then beats them with a stick.

Dewey Dell calls Vardaman to supper...it turns out that the fish is "cooked and et" (57). Vardaman is confused about the death of the fish.

We get to see the workings of Vardaman's mind, such as it is, and how he pieces things together mentally. Note how he describes the horse's being: "an is different from my is" (56). We could say the same thing about Vardaman to the rest of us.