Throughout the novel, Faulkner reinforces the idea that actions are far more influential and useful than words and spoken language. Addie section of narration first introduces this idea with, "So I took...the nights," (Faulkner 171-172) and "And so...even cook" (Faulkner 173-174). Addie has explained her love for her children
How Addie's Relationships Are Influenced by Action vs. Inaction Addie cares for Jewel and Cash more than her other children, she considers them “hers” while the others are Anse’s. At first glance, her reasoning behind this is sound: Cash is her firstborn and she has a unspoken bond with him, and Jewel is the product of her rebellion and affair with Whitfield, the one thing of hers that Anse could not touch or “violate” (172). But to understand why Addie feels this way, one must first understand how she feels about language. Addie believes that language cannot adequately describe one’s life. The only way to make human connection is through action; she whips her students because in her eyes the only way to truly become a part of someone is to become a part of their “secret and selfish life” through action (170). Addie’s whipping of the students is called to mind in Jewel’s chapter when he whips and is aggressive with his horse. Like Addie, Jewel prefers action over words. He wishes that he could save his mother from everyone’s empty words and instead take her to a mountaintop “until she was quiet” (15). Cash is similar to Jewel in this way. He is a logical person who shows his love of Addie through action rather than words, which she thinks are useless. The time he puts into making her coffin and assuring it’s exactly right speaks volumes to Addie compared to Anse’s words on love (48 & 172).
Addie resents Darl and Anse because they represent words and thought over action. Darl seems to have a strange psychic ability that causes much of his interactions to occur internally rather than externally. He communicates with his siblings through looks and thoughts instead of action, and Addie feels a separation with him because of this. The only action she has ever associated with him is his “violation” of her and Cash’s unspoken bond, which is another explanation of why there is a disconnect between them. As for Anse, he is the embodiment of laziness and inaction. He even goes so far as to not do any work because he cannot sweat (or so he says). Anse’s love means nothing to her, because it is just a word, and she recognizes that unless the vessel of the word itself has meaning, the word is useless (173).