A Rose for Emily

            A tragic woman lives her childhood oppressed and robbed of her dreams. A failed romance drives her into a lifetime of torturous seclusion and painful memories. After many long years, she finally passes away, but not before leaving a legacy of sin and regret. The basic synopsis of "A Rose for Emily- hardly does the rich and strongly symbolic story justice. Its disturbing look at the tragic life of a recluse is grim, disturbing, and suspenseful. Author William Faulkner achieved this by arranging the events of Emily Grearson's life not chronologically, but in a way to optimize the level of suspense and enhance reader interest. .
             The arrangement of events creates more suspense for the reader and therefore the piece is more enjoyable to read. The story begins with the death of Emily, whereas chronologically, she dies near the very end. The death of Emily being the opening event sets a gothic tone. It also gives the reader the knowledge that she will be end up dead later on in the story. It tells that the coming events will lead to her death. The reader will assume that perhaps something bad will happen to cause her death. But in chronological order, the death of Emily is a resolution. The very placing of Emily's death at the beginning sets the macabre tone and establishes the sense of foreboding in the reader. The readers think the coming events will be sinister ones that lead to Emily's death. In my opinion she was a weed in the town's garden so to speak. It doesn't give the reader bad feelings exactly, but it is a tragic ending.
             The second event written is the story of Emily's tax paying. Some readers would read it and feel that they get a glimpse of the poor, reclusive life of Emily's. The taxes story tells us of Emily's weird behavior and lack of money after her father's death. It also shows the towns understanding of Emily's financial situation when they refuse to collect taxes from her. The town's sympathy shows she is pitied greatly; pity with a queer, strange feeling.