William Faulkner's short story "A Rose for Emily- focuses on the life of Emily Grierson and how she became a monument and symbol of tradition in her town. As a young respectable black woman, Emily was protected by her father who wanted to marry her to a rich husband, yet never found one who appeased him. After her father passed away, she fell in love with a Yankee named Homer, rebelling against the traditions her father upheld. Emily greatly deteriorated after Homer's death and became a mysterious recluse to the townspeople - a woman holed up in a once magnificent house that occasionally omitted a strange smell and whose only visible resident was a black butler. .
Faulkner uses symbolism and diction to convey Emily's dynamic changes as she ages, showing her unwillingness to accept new ways of life and her need to preserve the things she holds most dear, even until death; however, this meant murdering her fiancé Homer, so not to lose the one person she had the chance to love, which kept her stuck in the past. .
The main symbol used to represent Emily and her aging is her house. When she was young, her house was on the most popular street, which was "decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies- which represent her youth, wealth, and the grandeur of the south (483). However, as time passed and the south was no longer a powerful influence, the house became an "eyesore among eyesores- in the neighborhood - the last representation of its rich past and Emily's power after her father passed away (483). Even though her father is a flat character in the story, he perpetuated Emily's solidarity by driving possible suitors away, so when he died she wanted to "cling to that which had robbed her- by not burying him right away (485). With her father's death, Emily also transcended into poverty; her only link to money, power, and protection vanished except for the house, and the town finally viewed Emily as no exception to everyday life hurdles.
"A Rose for Emily" As any reader can see, " A Rose for Emily" is one of the most authentic short stories by Faulkner. His use of characterization, narration, foreshadowing, and symbolism are four key factors to why Faulkner's work is idealistic to all readers. Introduction I Characterization ...
A Rose For Emily "A Rose for Emily-, by William Faulkner, begins and ends with the death of Miss Emily Grierson, the main character of the story. In the story William Faulkner uses characterization to reveal the character of Miss Emily. ... Faulkner expresses the content of Miss Emily's character through physical description, through her actions, words, and feelings, through the narrator's direct comments about her, and through the actions, words, and feelings of other characters. ... Emily now feels that "without a husband, her life will have no meaning- ("A Rose for Emily 1). ....
Emily, a Study in Change Throughout the story A Rose for Emily William Faulkner takes his readers on an emotional roller coaster in regards to their feelings toward the main character. ... The growth or change that Faulkner implements upon Emily is not really a change in her character at all. ... Because she is dead we don't actually get to know Emily as we would a character that is alive and interacting within the context of the story. ... Each change of our opinion of Emily's character comes through the revelation of some new fact or bit of gossip that is spread throughout to...
In matters of character Victorians prized respectability, earnestness, a sense of duty and public service; most would have regarded an industrious, pious conventionality as the best road not only to material recompense but to heavenly rewards as well. ...