Since its original publication in 1930, William Faulkner's novel As I Lay Dying has attracted much exploration and criticism. While this analysis is far-reaching and wide-ranging, one interesting avenue of inquiry is the novel's connection to the Old Testament. You don't have to be a Christian to study the similarities in theme; there are many cases of biblical topics and correlations, which have been studied by both students and scholars. The Old Testament is commonly known as the most historical part of the Bible; constitutes basic knowledge of the New Testament and gives readers insight into the nature of the times. Many overarching themes of the Old Testament are reflected in the Bible as a whole, just as each book has its own plot and theme. Old Testament themes such as original sin and ideas corresponding to those of the Book of Job can be found intrinsically in As I Lay Dying. The idea of ​​original sin comes from the Book of Genesis, when the first humans, Adam and Eve, ate fruit from the tree that God told them not to eat. Because these first two humans made mistakes, God created all humans in their image, an image of sin and fallibility. As taken from the Genesis Boom: "Then the Lord God said, 'Now these humans have become like one of us, and have knowledge of good and evil'" (Bible 5). The theme of sin is based on this fact; humans make conscious decisions to do evil. Other moral themes may follow within the main ideas that emerged in Genesis, such as guilt, sexuality, and tension between the sexes (Rule). In As I Lay Dying, Anse and Addie's original sin appears to give way to the sin of their children, just as that of... middle of paper... regression of religious views has not been documented. It can easily be said that religious views are present, whatever Faulkner's motivations. Religious themes are universal and can be appreciated and understood by everyone. Overall, Faulkner's use of biblical themes and plots such as original sin and the Book of Job highlight the novel's major themes of family relationships, love, sin, guilt, and actions versus words. Just like religion in general, the meaning of religious themes in the novel can be debated but are inherently present. Works Cited Faulkner, William. As I lay dying. New York: Vintage Books, October 1990. Rule, Phillip C. “Old Testament Themes in As I Lay Dying.” Readings on William Faulkner. Ed. C. Swisher. San Diego, California: Greenhaven Press, 1998. Good News Bible. New York: American Bible Society, 1992.