Explored the eugenics implications of Faulkner's expression 'My mother is a fish' in 'As I Lay Dying'. Researchers have interpreted the symbolic meaning of "fish" from different perspectives, but often overlook its implications for population reproduction related to eugenics. Vadaman compared mothers to fish, while Dahl satirized women's fertility, reflecting the American society's view of women as tools of reproduction at that time. Faulkner criticized the oppression of women's reproductive freedom by eugenics policies through these descriptions. As I Lay Dying "was created during the peak of the eugenics movement in the United States, and Faulkner's works continue to focus on and criticize eugenics discourse. Previous researchers have focused on Faulkner's eugenic narrative of genetic defects, but underestimated his rational examination of scientific discourse. In "As I Lay Dying," Faulkner uses the analogy of "mother" and "fish" to reveal the essentialist oppression and reproductive discipline suffered by American women during the eugenics era, criticize eugenics population policies, and express demands for individual privacy and sexual freedom.

My mom is a fish ": the eugenics and population reproduction connotation of" fish "

In "As I Lay Dying," Vadaman's monologue of confusing mother with fish, "My mother is a fish," not only reveals the cognitive trauma of children towards death, but also metaphorically depicts the reproductive fate endured by their mother Eddie, reflecting Faulkner's response to eugenics discourse at the time. At the beginning of the 20th century, American eugenicists focused on the demographic changes caused by the decline in white fertility rates and the growth of foreign immigrants. Influenced by Galton's concept of racial eugenics, they believed that the bloodline of foreign immigrants would taint the American gene pool. Supporters of eugenics such as Roosevelt called on white people to actively have children and condemned unmarried and infertile white women. At that time, society valued women's reproductive function, and evolutionists and eugenicists compared women to primitive reproductive animals. Faulkner hinted at Eddie's reproductive fate through the imagery of "fish", influenced by the essentialism of female biology in the United States at that time. He pays attention to eugenics and fertility topics, discusses related scientific topics with his stepson, and reads related scientific works. The Comstock Act prohibits the dissemination of information about contraception and abortion, leading to a scarcity of knowledge about contraception. Faulkner reveals the policy's disregard for women's physical and mental health through Del's failed abortion experience.

'I'll Still Be Me': Eddie's Accusation and Resistance Against 'Motherhood'

Explored Eddie's accusation and resistance against "motherhood" in Faulkner's work "As I Lay Dying". Eddie is compared to a 'fish', symbolizing her tragic fate of repeated reproduction and being compared to primitive reproductive animals. Vadama confused mother with fish, implying a "cannibalization" of the mother's body. Eddie's experience of childbirth gradually led to her loss of self and freedom. Her death and subsequent funeral procession further exposed the family members' selfish behavior towards Eddie. Eddie realized the bitterness behind "motherhood," especially in rural areas of the south where women face legal and patriarchal oppression and lack contraception and abortion methods. Eddie's accusation of "motherhood" is not only limited to words, but she also resists through actions such as secret meetings with priests and control over childbirth. Although her resistance had limitations, her rebellious behavior was subversive in the social context of that time, challenging the maternal political discourse of the eugenics era.

She has always been a woman who enjoys privacy ": Faulkner's personal privacy demands

Explored Eddie's defense of reproductive autonomy and women's privacy in Faulkner's "As I Lay Dying," as well as the conflict between this and national governance and individual privacy. Through Deleuze and Gatali's nomadic theory, O'Donnell analyzed the conflict between the nomadic nature of the Benderon family and national governance, but overlooked the historical context of eugenics and the topic of women's privacy. Under the influence of eugenics, during the progressive period, the US government intervened in the private sphere for the public interest, making the issue of female fertility the center of the conflict between individual privacy and national governance. Edison used contraceptive methods to evade legal supervision before his death, and after his death, he revealed the secrets of contraception and abortion in a coffin, rendering the law ineffective. Faulkner satirized the American birth policy that deprived women of their freedom and expressed his longing for a truly democratic life through the Gothic design of Eddie's post death speech. Faulkner's view on personal privacy is reflected in his emphasis on individual freedom and privacy, and his opposition to mixing individual sexual activities with social and political needs. His focus on women's private topics in his works reflects his strong condemnation of eugenics discourse practices and profound vigilance towards the disregard for individual life and well-being in the American social governance system. Faulkner's criticism still has practical significance today, providing strong evidence for us to dispel the discourse of American exceptionalism and question the superiority of the American democratic system. It also helps us to be vigilant about the negative effects of science worship and injects humanistic thinking into the construction of scientific ethics.