Essays On A Rose For Emily

Essay on A Rose for Emily
A Rose for Emily Emily is a woman that has had a hard life. Her family made it so that she was
held in high regard in the public eye. She was not suppose to encounter relationships that were
below her stature. The town, being the antagonist, drives Emily to her insanity because they will
not allow her to lead a normal life. They liked the "show" they were watching a refused to give it up.
The narrator explores how Emily is defined in her position in the town by her name and her father.
"People in our town, [. . .], believed the Griersons held themselves a little too high for what they
really were." (pg.83) Emily's father had been controlling during her early life and had stopped all
suitors from visiting her. " we had...show more content...
. . ]" This definition is narrowly drawn. Her rank is one of the " representatives of those August
names, [. . . ]" When she begins her relationship with Homer Barron, his name shows irony
because he is described as " " a northerner, a day laborer,"' (pg.84) the towns people are appalled. "
Then some of the ladies began to say it was a disgrace to the town and a bad example to the young
people." (pg.86) The towns people go as far as to send the Baptist preacher, the towns moral
leader, to chastise Emily regarding this relationship. Emily refutes this chastisement and quickly
flaunts her relationship with Homer. " The next Sunday they again drove about the streets, [. . .
]" Having been rebuked, the ministers wife enlists the aid of Emily's cousins to pressure Emily back
into the role they feel she should play. They do arrive at which time Emily buys poison. The towns
people feel placadid after Emily buys the arsenic. " So the next day we all said, " " She will kill
herself"', and we said it would be the best thing." The towns people it seems would have Emily play
by their rules as have been defined by tradition and duty or commit suicide. Emily at first tries to
break away from the defined role after her father dies by establishing a relationship with Homer
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Rose For Emily
In William Faulkner's short story "A Rose for Emily" the story of an eccentric southern aristocrat
from the view of the community she lives in. the story opens with the death of the main character,
Miss Emily Grierson. Faulkner described Miss Emily's life circumstances through a series of flash
backs. Faulkner explains his story is an example of a person having their hopes and aspirations for
their life dashed over time, and only later to realize how through poor decision making, they have
broken every value and belief they hold, then proceeding to punish themselves indefinitely.
Brooks and Warren begin by approaching the story from the psychological mindset of Miss Emily.
They point out without finding the meaning behind Miss Emily's actions, the story is merely a
story of abnormal psychology. By being able to understand where the motives came from for Miss
Emily's actions the reader is much more able to see that Miss Emily was not just a mentally
disturbed individual with no real cause for her condition. The idea that Miss Emily refuses to submit
to the group mentality of...show more content...
Fetterley contends that the story is that of a male dominated past and future, and a woman who is
oppressed and victimized by her society systems. In life, Miss Emily's father had been able to keep
her as a possession and control her life. In his death, the community of Jefferson stepped into that
role. Miss Emily was more considered as an object than a person to most everyone her entire life.
Fetterley points out the real wrong done to Miss Emily was in making her a "Miss". In the act of
making Emily a lady certain characteristics and beliefs are immediately associated with Miss
Emily. It is these beliefs of what a lady is and does that allows Miss Emily to murder Homer with
poison bought at the drug store without so much as a raised eyebrow. The thought of a lady
committing murder never crosses the community's

Essay A Rose for Emily
A Rose for Emily In "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner's symbolic use of the "rose" is essential
to the story's theme of Miss Emily's self–isolation. The rose is often a symbol of love, and portrays
an everlasting beauty. The rose has been used for centuries to illustrate an everlasting type of love
and faithfulness. Even when a rose dies, it is still held in high regard. Miss Emily's "rose" exists
only within the story's title. Faulkner leaves the reader to interpret the rose's symbolic meaning.
Miss Emily was denied the possibility of falling in love in her youth, so subsequently she isolated
herself from the world and denied the existence of change. Miss Emily was denied her "rose", first
by her father, then by the...show more content...
Miss Emily's first rose could have been her father, but he wasn't.
"We remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing
left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will. "Miss Emily met them
at the door, dressed as usual and with no trace of grief on her face. She told them that her father
was not dead. She did that for three days." While the corpse of her father remained in the house
for three days while Miss Emily refused to accept the her father was dead and that she was now
"left alone and a pauper," she had no idea what to do now that she was alone. She did not know
how to accept the fact that she could now make her own decisions. "So when she got to be thirty
and was still single, we were not pleased exactly but vindicated; even with insanity in the family she
wouldn't have turned down all of her chances if they had really materialized."
The townspeople knew that Miss Emily's chances of a semblance of a "normal" life dwindled
each day. They assumed because of Miss Emily's social status, and her age that she would be a
spinster, and expected her to act as such. They were appalled when Homer Barron arrived, and he
and Miss Emily were seen together in town. They even contacted out of town relatives to come and
talk some "sense" into Miss Emily. They could not accept that Emily may be coming into

Essay on A Rose For Emily
A Rose for Emily
Emily's Father
Throughout this story, the overbearing presence of Emily Grierson's father is perhaps the greatest
influence on her behavior. The story describes how Miss Emily's father rejected her suitors by
standing in front of her and aggressively clutching a horsewhip whenever the young men came to
call. Without her fathers influence and overprotective behavior it is likely that Emily would have
made one of her suitors her husband when she was still of suitable marrying age for that time period.
When Emily's father died the women of the town called on her to offer their condolences and aid as
was their custom when someone suffered a tragic loss. Emily met...show more content...
When the new age of city authorities in the town visited her to collect taxes they felt she owed, she
sent them away explaining that she didn't have any taxes because the mayor of an earlier generation
had remitted them. When the town got free postal delivery Emily alone refused to let the numbers be
fastened above her door.
Emily's relationship with Homer Barron, the construction foreman, was a desperate attempt to
save herself from living the rest of her life alone with only the shadow of her father to control her.
Emily wanted a real physical presence in her life to dominate her just as her father had done and
she felt Homer was her only chance to have this. When Emily realized Homer wasn't interested in
marriage or a commitment of any kind she knew that he was bound to leave her eventually. To
prevent him from deserting her she poisoned him and kept his body locked away in the upstairs of
her old house.
The body of Homer came to serve Emily as the physical representation of the controlling presence
in her life, her father, and she found comfort in sleeping next to him. The fact that the body was
Homer's and not her father's was of little consequence to Emily, if the townspeople hadn't forced her
to give up her father's corpse, then he would have lain in place of Homer on the bed.
Emily's unhealthy attachment to her father suggests that she may have had an

"A Rose for Emily" Essay examples
Stuck in the past in "A Rose for Emily" by Faulkner Change causes a person to do things out of the
norm. It is common for people to fear change. Most people although afraid will accept the changes
and adapt to it. Others will control that change unwilling to adhere to the new and unfamiliar way of
things. Many are stuck in the past, in the traditions that guide their lives. Emily Grierson is a product
of the Old South, rich in traditions and set in her ways. The New south means change; traditions are
lost and replaced with new customs. Even though afraid of change Emily will control the changes
in her life, the loss of her father, the respect of the town, and even the reality of her own life in "A
Rose for Emily" by Faulkner.
I....show more content...
It is common for people to fear change. Most people although afraid will accept the changes and
adapt to it. Others will control that change unwilling to adhere to the new and unfamiliar way of
things. Many are stuck in the past, in the traditions that guide their lives. Emily Grierson is a
product of the Old South, rich in traditions and set in her ways. The New south means change;
traditions are lost and replaced with new customs. Even though afraid of change Emily will
control the changes in her life, the loss of her father, the respect of the town, and even the reality
of her own life in "A Rose for Emily" by Faulkner. Initially after the loss of her father Emily
Grierson refuses to let go of him and the influence he has over her in "A Rose for Emily". Emily's
father was a big part of her existence he was the only man in her life. For years he had ran off
suitor that had called upon Emily. Once he was gone it is hard for her to adapt to life without
him. She refuses to believe that he is dead telling the ladies of the town "that her father was not
dead" (101). She had been very close to her father and without him her live would not be the same.
She never leaves the house she stays secluded from the town. By remaining alone she will not have
to face the fact that any change has taken place.
Above all Emily thinks that her name means something to the town, losing the respect of the town's
people

Essay On A Rose For Emily
As the dead body laid on the bed, Emily's friends and family they never really understood her. "A
Rose for Emily" was full of emotions some which were depression, and anxiety. All these
emotions in the story make Emily Grierson seem like she is suffering from a mental illness. After
a long and traumatic life lacking love and embrace of a man, it is evident that she is in an
enormous amount of internal pain. The men who were in her life were either dead or they left her.
Emily experienced many life–changing moments in her life. These experiences forcing her to
change and adapt to her new situations also, causing her to make deranged decisions. In William
Faulkner's, "A Rose for Emily" exemplifies a lack of love and loss of important people...show more
content...
It became worse when Emily's father died. By that time, it was too late for a lot of things like
marriage and dating to happen in her life. Emily did not know how to cope with the death of her
father which lead to some demented decisions. Miss Emily changed significantly after her father
died. "When we saw her again, her hair was cut short, making her look like a girl, with a vague
resemblance to those angels in colored church windows––sort of tragic and serene"(Section 3,
Paragraph 1). She was taking the death of the only person important to her very hard. She did not
have anyone to turn to after. Her family was ready for her to die. The town people were scared to
say anything to her. After the death of the most important person in her life, she found herself with
no one to turn to, and her own family wishing for her departure from the world. Shortly after the
death of her father, Homer Barron came from the North and was immediately attracted to Emily.
Homer started to show Emily friendship and compassion. She tried to make Homer the new
important man in her life. Emily's actions were anything but precious. Emily shows how mentally
unstable she is when Homer Barron, a simple northern construction worker, tries to show her basic
friendship Emily mistakes this for something more and takes it to a new level. Emily does not know
how to handle a simple friendship. People knew Homer liked

A Rose for Emily
Literary Analysis for "A Rose for Emily"
Sometimes a Rose is Not a Rose:
A Literary Analysis of "A Rose for Emily"
In the short story "A Rose for Emily", written by William Faulkner, the negative impact of Emily's
upbringing by an overprotective father, leads to incredible pattern in her life and the obvious mental
illness that takes over as she not so graciously ages. While written in five sections, the first and last
section is written in present time, and the three middle sections in past tense. To set the stage for
Emily's drastic transformation from young girl to elderly woman, Faulkner uses characterization,
setting and narration to show Emily's lost state of mind and her desire to find and keep love at all
cost as....show more content...
The setting of the story takes place in Faulkner's make believe city of Yoknapatawpha,
Mississippi. In a house that was once owned by the late Elder Grierson. When the townspeople
finally enter the room upstairs that "no one had seen in forty years" (Faulkner, Section 5), they are
stunned by the condition of Emily's once grandeur house. Furthermore, the house that once set on
the "most select street" (Faulkner, Section 1) was now surrounded by garages, cotton gins and was
the only house left on the street. Although, once described as "a big, squarish frame house that had
once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies" (Harris), it is apparent
that along with the family name, the family home had been on a downward spiral for many years.
Although the story is told in first person, the narrator of the story is never named but it appears that
the story could be told by any of the townspeople. It has been said that the narrators "function is to be
a window pane or mirror upon the life of Miss Emily Grierson" (Sullivan). The narrator often uses a
negative attitude toward both women and the African American race, furthermore making many
statements in the short story that would not be acceptable in our society today. From "the female
blacks in this town are not allowed out on the streets without aprons" (Faulkner, Section 1) to "it's
probably just a snake or rat

Imagery In A Rose For Emily
"A Rose for Emily" An Essay by Emilio Salomon
William Faulkner was born on September 25, 1897, in New Albany, Mississippi. He was the oldest
of four Brothers since a very young age William developed a love for literature.He was awarded
multiple awards including Nobel prices and Pulitzer awards. William Faulkner is known for his
stories about the decadence of the south and the tones his stories have. In this story, we see how
Emily is a symbol for the town of the old South and how everyone need to adapt to the new
changes in the town. William tone influences every part of his stories."A Rose for Emily" is about
Emily Grierson a girl in a post–civil war Mississippi and how she isolated from everyone during
tough situations. In "A Rose for Emily" William Faulkner use of imagery and symbolism help us
develop the theme of the story. William Faulkner use of imagery helps us understand the emotions
of different characters throughout the story and the setting of the story. In the story, imagery can be
seen multiple times. An example can be seen when the Board of Aldermen sent a deputation to
collect Emily's taxes. "They were admitted by the old Negro into a dim hall from which a stairway
mounted into more shadow." The use of imagery in this sentence explains how and by who the
deputation as received into Emily's house also it explains the mysteriousness of Emily's house with
the words, "stairway mounted into more shadow."
Another example of imagery in the story is when the author used it to describe Emily when she ask
for poison to the druggist."still a slight woman, though thinner than usual, with cold, haughty black
eyes in a face the flesh of which was strained across the temples and about the eyes ockets as you
imagine a lighthouse–keepers face ought to look". The author makes emphasis in Emily's face and
eyes meaning that she is lost in her own world and foreshadows that Emily would use the poison for
something wrong. Additionally, another literary device used in theshort story is symbolism. In the
story symbolism is something essential. An example of symbolism in the story is in the title "a
rose." Roses are usually related to love. In the story, the rose represents the love of Emily to Homer.
"Presently we

A Rose For Emily
A Rose For Emily
In the TV show Private Practice, a spin–off of Grey's Anatomy, Sam runs some specific tests on one
of his very ill patients who was an alcoholic, he doesn't seem to have anything wrong with him
according to all tests that were coming back normal. Until finally they ran a drug test oh him and
later discovered that the patient had ingested Coprine. Coprine makes you feel sick when you drink
alcohol. It turned out that the mother was poisoning her alcoholic son to get him to stop drinking. A
similar concept can be seen in the short story "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner. "A Rose for
Emily" is about a woman named Emily who turns out to be possibly insane, this conclusion can be
made because of the characters, plot, and...show more content...
The author explains Miss Emily's appearance when she was alive. The author stated, "They rose
when she entered–a small, fat woman in black, with a thin gold chain descending to her waist and
vanishing into her belt, leaning on an ebony cane with a tarnished gold head. Her skeleton was
small and spare; perhaps that was why what would have been merely plumpness in another was
obesity in her. She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that
pallid hue. Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal
pressed into a lump of dough as they moved from one face to another while the visitors stated
their errand." Miss Emily's appearance wasn't that appealing. People respected her to a certain
extent but deep down inside everyone thought she was a bit crazy. Her mental breakdown, which
was caused by her father's passing and her then sweetheart leaving her, took a toll on her
appearance. The author states, "She was sick for a long time. When we saw her again, her hair was
cut short, making her look like a girl, with a vague resemblance to those angels in colored church
windows–sort of tragic and serene." This means that after the tragic events she had faced, she
decided to changed herself. Her hair was shorter which made her look peaceful and tragic. It was
pretty clear to some of the town

A Rose for Emily Essay
"A Rose for Emily" is a wonderful short story written by William Faulkner. It begins with at the
end of Miss Emily's life and told from an unknown person who most probably would be the voice
of the town. Emily Grierson is a protagonist in this story and the life of her used as an allegory
about the changes of a South town in Jefferson after the civil war, early 1900's. Beginning from
the title, William Faulkner uses symbolism such as house, Miss Emily as a "monument ", her hair,
Homer Barron, and even Emily's "rose" to expresses the passing of time and the changes. The
central theme of the story is decay in the town, the house, and in Miss Emily herself. It shows the
way in which we all grow old and decay and there is nothing permanent...show more content...
Furthermore, Miss Emily's hair is one of the symbols, shortly after her father's death Emily cuts
her hair that could possibly symbolize the freedom for her as breaking away from her father's control
"When we saw her again, her hair was cut short, making her look like a girl..." (212). Also, as Emily
grows older her hair changes into "iron–gray, like the hair of an active man" (214). That hair colour
changing symbolizes the time, we realize time first by Emily's hair, and then her hair has turned "a
vigorous iron–gray" (214) when she disappears into her house. In Faulkner's story Homer Barron
obviously represents the present, the formation, and the new ways. When he arrives to the town for
the construction Emily was already around 30–34 years old, well past her time according to that
time and he was the next generation. Also, probably he might be her future life. Homer Barron
was Northerner "...a Yankee..." (212) and north is known as its easy adaptation for changes but
South is known for traditional. He does not seem to a man who like to settle in one place as
Emily was. Besides the story's other symbols, the "rose" itself is the most important symbol and
the title of the story is not coincidence. It is not suggest just a rose flower, but rather a symbol of
the Homer and the father's love for her, town's love and admiration for her, and also foreshadows
her eventual destruction. The rose in the title symbolizes the absent of love which is a

вЂњA Rose for EmilyвЂќ Essay
Samuel Martin
Instructor Waszak
LIT 100
December 7, 2014
"A Rose for Emily": Explain what we learn about Miss Emily's character in the story (not just what
she does, but what kind of person she is). Use specific evidence found in the story to support your
conclusions. Be alert to the possibility that the narrator who reveals this evidence to us might have
certain biases of his/her/their own.
In the poem "A Rose for Emily", William Faulkner stated that "another sad and tragic manifestation
of man's condition [is] in which he dreams and hopes, in which he is in conflict with himself or with
his environment or with others" (Faulkner 79–80). In "A Rose for Emily," a young girl, Emily
Grierson, faces a rather tragic life and undergoes...show more content...
In her killing of Homer, she is holding onto the past– she is attempting to hold on to the relationship
that she and Homer once had, or she wished that she had. She keeps his corpse lying in bed next to
her, which is implied when it was "noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head"
and a "long strand of iron–gray hair" (78). Emily's inability to let go of the past has been
exemplified in the examples of her refusal to pay taxes and her murdering of Homer. However, the
true cause of her inability to let go of the past lies in her conflict with in herself.
Faulkner wrote "A Rose for Emily" with the intent to focus on the tragedy of man's inner conflict, as
well as outer. The two examples given are perfect in demonstrating these two types of conflicts. In
the first, Emily is in conflict with her surroundings, in which the town officials are trying to tax her.
In the second, Emily is in conflict with herself. She "knew that you do not murder people. She had
been trained that you do not take a lover. You marry, you don't take a lover" (80). Emily tries to
embrace the tradition and background of getting married, having a family, and being in love.
However, these aspirations soon caused her to break down when Homer was going to leave. These
conflicts, most importantly the one within herself, strongly impacted Emily to be unable to let go of
the past. Over all, in "A Rose for

Allegory In A Rose For Emily
Some people love change, but others absolutely dislike it. When something big changes in one's
life, will it change who they are, or will they fight back? This short story shows how when a person
grows up relying only on one person when they leave, it will change everything about that person. In
the southern gothic story "A rose for Emily" by William Faulkner uses characterization, allegory, and
allusion display the idea that the toll that death can take on one's life could be drastic.
Characterization showed the true personality of Miss Emily and how her father's death shaped her.
The many issues in this short story all started at how Miss Emily was raised. She was raised to only
rely on her father, who was very protective over her. When...show more content...
We can see that this story makes a lot of indirect references in the text. "I want some poison, the
best that you have. I didn't care what kind." (pg. 3) Allusion is shown because it made it seem like
she was going to commit suicide. This is evidence that she most likely killed Homer Barron
because he was poorer while her dad wasn't, so she knew that he would never approve, which
could've cause her to kill him. This created an allusion in her mind that it was acceptable for her to
poison someone because of what her dead father would think.
Characterization, allegory, and allusion all play a large role as to why Miss Emily has attachment
issues and is unable to move on from the past and look forward to the future. Though there was no
visible or literal rose, it did symbolize Miss Emily and how she started out mentally healthy and
then as all the major events took place, it shows how roses fade, along with her mental health. This
story is the perfect example to not be too not let the struggles in life overcome

A Rose For Emily Essay
There are many ways to look at a work of art. Many people look at abstract paintings and laugh
critically at them, denying that they are art at all. While other people can look at the same
paintings and find beauty within them that others could not. This goes for every art form, it's why
why some movie can get a 100% rating and a 10% rating at the same time by two different critics.
In literature, criticism is centered around the value, and what defines the value of a literary work.
With some critics saying literatures value is determined by the effect it has on the reader, while
other say value is determined by the moral and political implications the literary work has. There are
many different forms of literary criticism, all judging works...show more content...
Looking at this story on a base level you can determine that Emily Grierson is a woman who
needs to have control on her own life at all costs. She shuts out the entire town she lives in, as
well as anybody who might have an influence on her, and even goes so far as to kill Homer
Barron when he refuses to marry her, in order to have the ultimate control over her
relationship.The average reader would respond to what Emily did with a bit of disgust.
Considering her actions as vulgar like many of the townspeople from the story likely thought.
However, there are many of ways to look at this story. A psychoanalytical reader might feel
sympathy for Emily as they would determine her actions were a result neurosis and depression
brought on by the rough childhood inflicted upon her by her father. A Feminist critic would look at it
entirely differently though. Judith Fetterly states that the reason for her actions is that the
patriarchal she lived installed the notion "that men and women are made for each other". Yet in a
patriarchal society at the same time there is a "massive differentiation of everything according to
sex, one sees that in reality a sexist culture is one in which men and women are not simply
incompatible but murderously so.... Emily murders Homer Barron because she must get a man at
any cost" (The Resisting Reader: A feminist Approach to AmericanFiction,

Essays On A Rose For Emily

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Essays On A Rose For Emily