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A Rose For Emily Death Analysis

Decent Essays

A Rose for Emily Ironically, death provides formidable lessons to be taught about life and the power of death stems conflict in tradition vs change as main themes is symbolized by the rose being given to her in the title of the story “A Rose for Emily.” In retrospect, the death consumed life of Emily is best compared to the depletion of tradition in the face of the growing modern changes in society at that time and despite attempts to thwart death in every measure it will always prevail per, Falkner. For this reason, the character Emily stands for the representation of how the conflict of change vs tradition and the power of death affected the town of Jefferson, customs, and herself. As a matter of fact, Jefferson is on the cusp of abolishing …show more content…

Finally, they become unsatisfied with glimpses caught through doorways also windows and after her death and they satisfy their flaming curiosity by breaking into the second-floor bedroom. Ultimately, the townspeople are compelled to believe they are behaving respectfully by waiting until “normal” grieving period has passed. In truth, there is no moral justification for this act and this is a blatant violation of privacy of Emily’s home. Although, Jefferson still holds honor as a traditional notion this become placed in critical perspective with its leaders. Strangely enough, the alderman try to break the unofficial agreement between Colonel Sartoris and Emily and the younger generation of leaders brings in Homer’s company to pave the sidewalks. In fact, Falkner is severely accusatory of the old men in the confederate uniforms who gathered at Emily’s funeral because to them her time was not absolute. From here on, because of her unwillingness to bend to the new changes the townspeople view her as an obligation to society and she becomes out of touch with the reality that constantly threatens to break through her sealed walls. Moreover, She refuses to have the metallic numbers placed on the outside of her home when the …show more content…

One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward that faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of hair.” (Falkner) Concealed in her home is the ways of the old tradition and her love for it masked in the most heinous of ways and ultimately the true power of death. Hence, Emily’s secret is finally revealed, sealing her fate as being known in the town as eccentric her mental state has led her to commit grotesque acts that surpass the imaginations of the towns people. Therefore, her attempts to deploy power over death is to deny death itself thus is the beginning of the bizarre relationship with the dead bodies of the ones she loves. Consequently, Emily’s necrophilia is exhibited first after her father dies and she is unable to admit that he is dead and clings to his body for three days and is forced to give it up. In fact, when Homer dies she again denies death and refuses to acknowledge it yet again even though his death was entirely at her hands. Presumably, Homer’s lifelessness denotes she could keep him near her and entombing her lover in the upstairs bedroom kept the fantasy of marital happiness forever preserved. In addition, Homer’s death also permanently sealed him distant from Emily and she kept his body intact sealed in the bedroom until her death. At this point, Emily’s necrophilia was the attempt to preserve the old traditions and cling to the old

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