A Rose For Emily

            For many generations status has been the envy and the demise of many people. William Faulkner intriguingly depicts status, society, and the role of women in his short fiction "A Rose for Emily." He implies status causes many upheavals in a community and demonstrates how the society of a region reacts to that status. He furthers his ideas with the thought of women as the instigators in a community and shows their inferiority to men. .
             In the short story "A Rose for Emily," Miss Emily is the highest ranking status symbol in the town of Jefferson. This is evident when she tries to buy arsenic from the druggist. The druggist informs Miss Emily that by law she is required to tell him what the poison is for. Miss Emily stands her ground and refuses to tell him what she intends to do with the poison. She portrays herself as above the law and a person that answer to no one. Her influence is so great that the druggist refuses the laws of the town and gives her the poison without knowing why she is buying. He even goes ahead and says it's for rats so she will not get into a situation with the authorities. .
             However, status became a burden on Miss Emily. She was always the focus of everyone's attention. Another disadvantage of her status as a Grierson was of marriage. Her father drove away all suitors due to her status and social class. Her father never let her marry since he believed that no one that came to court her was of the Grierson's high social class. This left her alone and bitter once her father died and she had no companionship. .
             Status was also an important part of life in Jefferson. Miss Emily's cook is referred to as "the Negro" again and again. This shows a type of division based on social class and status which is a part of the culture in that era. In the story the town's people complain of the smell emanating from Miss Emily's house. Judge Stevens is quick to say "the Negro" must have killed a snake in the yard and not disposed of the carcass.