Short story, a brief work of literature which usually contains few characters and a single problem. Before the 19th century the short story was not considered a literary form. Humankind has enjoyed different types of narratives which make up a large part of the background from where modern story emerged. William Faulkner, an American writer born in 1897 who was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature back in 1949. Even though he was a bright kid, he didn't feel any passion for a formal education which made him drop out of high school. After all the obstacles he had to face William Faulkner became a very talented and famous writer. His writings show obsession with the dark side of his life and A Rose for Emily is one of the short story that shows that.
A Rose for Emily, Faulkner first published short story begins with the end of the protagonist's life which is the main contribution to the story's popularity. Emily Grierson was an important person to the town, everyone attended her funeral but no one really knew her since she had a dark and lonely life. She rarely came out of the house and died alone when she was 74. Her father's death was the main reason of her turn down. She denied her father passed making the townspeople believe she was going crazy. Days later she meets Homer Barron, a Northerner laborer who is in town along with his construction squad. Emily and Homer started spending time together which made the town show displeasure in the union since Homer's reputation was scandalous according to the narrator. Emily was described as a fallen woman since they were dating without talking about marriage. After a visit to the pharmacy to get arsenic, rumors started to spread around that she would commit suicide. Years later, Emily's cousins discover Homer Barron's decomposed corpse on her bed next to a pillow with a strand Emily's now gray hair. .
From the beginning of the story we can tell it will be about old versus new.