A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner

Emily is a representation of the old south. She was raised in an environment of southern gentility by a father who prided himself on being a true southern gentleman. This can be seen by the quote, "Emily’s father, an arrogant Southern aristocrat who believes that no man is good enough for his daughter." When her father dies, she refuses to accept it and instead keeps his dead body for three days. Emily could not bear to part with her old way of life; which included not letting her father go. Because of her father's strict nature, Emily is left alone after his death. This can be interpreted as clinging to the old south. Another tie to the south could be seen in the quote, “Her voice was dry and cold. "I have no taxes in Jefferson. Colonel Sartoris explained it to me. Perhaps one of you can gain access to the city records and satisfy yourselves." This quote shows her refusal to pay taxes just like the South refused to pay taxes like in the Antebellum South. Another quote would be

“A Rose for Emily”, takes place in southern United States and starts off when she dies in the early 20th century and goes back to her life in the late 19th century leading the reader to her demise. Emily Grierson comes from a traditional southern aristocratic family. Her

My ultimate take is that Faulkner portrayed her to have a dark soul. Emily lived in disgust for someone who held themselves to such a higher standard than most people. He portrayed this not only by her actions but also on the description of her home inside and out. The people in the town felt sorry for her quite possibly because she was alone, perhaps this is why they put up with her in the manner they

On September 25, 1897, William Cuthbert Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi. He stands as one of the most preeminent American writers of the twentieth century. His literary reputation included poetry, novels, short stories, and screenplays. Faulkner won two Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction and the Nobel Prize in Literature. “A Rose for Emily” is a short fascinating story written by William Faulkner and it was his first short story published in a national magazine. The story involved an old woman named Emily Grierson, the daughter of a rich man that was considered a hero in the town where they lived. The story takes place in the fictional Town of Jefferson, Mississippi during and after the civil war between the Northerners and Southerners. Emily’s childhood was never easy; her father was always overprotective with her even when she was a grown woman. Charmaine Mosby an English Professor of Western Kentucky University in his work analysis of “A Rose for Emily” writes, “Miss Emily Grierson had been cut off from most social contact and all courtship by her father.” This was the principal reason why Emily Grierson was always a lonely soul.

As a result, Miss Emily remains unmarried. This situation perhaps helps readers understand how Miss Emily is trying to cope of all the burden and pressures of great expectations that others have of her. While most individuals can handle this kind of stress, Miss Emily unfortunately is unable to develop healthy, adaptive coping mechanisms. Another glimpse of her character is when the sheriff office attempts to collect taxes, Emily tells them “see Colonel Sartoris” (33), who had been dead almost ten years. “I have no taxes in Jefferson” reasserts Emily (33). Despite many attempts to collect taxes, Emily simply continues to refuse to cooperate with the town authorities. This observation of Miss Emily's behavior is telling us how irrational and inappropriate she is when she interacts with other people. Another episode of her erratic behavior occurs when Judge Stevens, the new town mayor, receives several complaints from the neighbors that a powerful, terrible odor is originating from Emily’s property and ordered by the neighbors to “send her word to have her place cleaned up” (33). This is another hint that Emily is becoming separated from her community and is totally unable to relate to other people in an appropriate matter.

At one point in the short story, it is said that there is a wretched scent coming from Miss Emily’s house and, instead of finding out why, the Old generation simply covers it up by sprinkling lime around her home to cover up the scent. With all that the Old generation did for her, it is evident that, to them, Miss Emily was some sort of prized possession, one that was not to be touched. However, as time went on, the Old generation moved on and the New generation came into play. Those of the New generation called a meeting to speak with Emily about the taxes that she had not paid in many years, with the intention of getting her to pay them again, just as every other person in the town did. As this was brought up to her, Miss Emily quickly became offended and defensive, ultimately telling the city authorities to “See Colonel Sartoris,” who had passed away many years ago, because she refused to believe that she had to pay taxes in her city, because the Old generation had convinced her that she would never have to. The more that the New generation and the society around her developed, the more Emily fell behind and struggled to keep up with the changes that were being made around her. This resulted in Miss Emily hiding herself away in her house for many years, as an attempt at escaping the changes being made to the society that she once knew so well. At some

William Faulkner wrote “A Rose for Emily” to showcase the changes in society. Faulkner’s story is about Emily Grierson, a southern woman, who is watched upon by the towns’ people of Jefferson from her earlier days until her death. Emily is a stubborn woman because she refuses to listen to the warnings about Homer, a northern man, she claims she does not have to pay her taxes, and leaves her father’s dead body in the house for three days. Emily also becomes secluded over the years only having two people in her life Tobe, her servant and Homer, her lover. The town’s people began to become suspicious when an awful smell was coming from Emily’s house. When Emily died, the people of the town went into her house, and they found the decayed body of Homer. William Faulkner comments that, “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.” This is a direct reflection on how Emily lives her life because she does not want let go of her past, just like the south not wanting to let go of their tradtion. A decline of the south is the theme of the story and it is shown by the use of characters, conflicts, and symbols.

She is a lonely old spinster with the exception of her loyal black servant. Her aristocratic family was once wealthy and influential in the local community. That all became lost in the aftermath of the Civil War. Her troubled upbringing affected Emily severely. Emily’s father was overprotective and keep her close to him at all times. When he died, Emily had no experience being by herself and something her inside in her mind snapped. She was in debt, her family’s manor fell into despair, and she simply lost touch of reality and was in constant denial, for instance “See Colonel Sartorius. I have no taxes in Jefferson.” The man she was referring to had been dead for a decade and waived her from paying taxes only because of her “situation.” The city government controlled by the next generation most likely understood at that point she was insane and left her

Emily’s father later passes away but because she has no one else, she held onto her father’s body for fear of being alone once she let him go. After three days of holding on, she finally allowed her father’s body to go out for burial. After her father’s passing, Emily refused to pay any taxes on the home, even when approached by the new city officials. Many years later, in her home, she told them, “See Colonel Sartoris, I

Through Emily Grierson, the author tries to convey the struggle against change. Emily herself is a tradition. Over the years, Emily does not change much even though the world around her is changing every day. Emily is entirely cut off from society to the point where she does not even leave her house. No one can understand why. Emily refuses to have numbers attached to the side of her house when the town decides they will be starting mail delivery. She also has not paid taxes in years, supposedly because her father lent money to the town and forgiving Emily’s taxes is the town 's way of repaying her. When the Board of Alderman comes to Emily’s house, explaining why she needed to pay taxes, her repeated response is “See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson” (79). Little does she know, Colonel Sartoris died ten years prior, which is just another example of how cut off from society she is.

William Faulkner begins the story by describing the characters of Miss Emily. He divides the story into five parts which all talk about the life of Miss Emily. At the first part, he describes her as, “A tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town.” (Faulkner 217). He further discusses that Miss Emily not wanting to pay any taxes to the city until the Board of Aldermen had called a special meeting about the issue. But Miss Emily kept saying that she had no taxes to pay what so ever and tells her servant, the Negro, to “show the gentlemen out.” (Faulkner 218). She did not show any respect and manner for the Aldermen. The

In the short story “A Rose for Emily”, William Faulkner escorts the reader through the peculiar life of the main character Miss Emily Grierson. The gloomy tone of the story is set by the author beginning his tale with the funeral of Miss Emily. During course of the story, we are taken through different times in Miss Emily’s life and how she was lost in time, with the town around her moving forward. Through the use of southern gothic writing style, narrator point of view, and foreshadowing, Faulkner aids the reader in creating a visualization of Miss Emily and the town in which she lives while also giving an insight into her sanity.

She was perceived as a powerless, secluded, lady who never interacted with anyone, and never abandoned her house. We are presented with Miss Emily’s stern stubborn attitude once she was faced with the claims of her unpaid taxes. Miss Emily on several occasions presents herself with an attitude in which we begin to interpret as a defense mechanism in which she defies all sense of responsibility as she assumes she is above the law or old southern hospitality. This is the literal representation of the South and it’s loss of control and how they denied it to be true.

Miss Emily refuses to pay new taxes or to have mail box on her house when the town get use of the postal service. The taxes can be read as symbols of inability to move on. The initial remission of Miss Emily's taxes is a symbol of the death of her father, and a symbol of the financial decline Emily's family experienced. It's also a symbol of Emily's father's continued control over his daughter.... even from beyond the grave. And, when the "newer generation" tries to revoke the ancient deal they inherited, taxes are still a symbol of inability to move on.

A Rose for Emily was written by William Faulkner, the story was written to show how the South has evolved, furthermore it is about a woman named Emily who refuses to accept change, as change is happening all around her. Emily is stuck in her ways and she functions as a symbol of the Old South as the town around her becomes more civilized and developed.