In diploma thesis I deal with a modernistic novel titled As I Lay Dying written in 1930 by American author William Faulkner. Faulkner is one of the main representatives of modernism in the USA. Besides his extensive opus and participation in the film industry, his public fighting for equal rights of black people and better understanding of the American South's problematic is also important. The problematic of the American South in the 20th century is described in the background - white country people were facing poverty and the conflicts between white and black people were omnipresent and later led to revolt. Everyday life was interlaced with profound Protestant religiousness. People were dealing with a difficult economic situation. The stream-of-consciousness novel is based on numerous inner monologues of main characters, who are more or less involved with presented actions. Their descriptions are tied in a whole with Rashomon effect. The message of the whole is frequently hard to decipher due to the constant changes of perspective, time leaps and uncontrolled associative stringing of thoughts. The language of the novel moves between the elevated lyrical tones, which resemble Biblical language, and the spoken language of the American South. Key words: modernistic novel, stream of consciousness, interior monologue, American South, religion.
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