The story “A Rose for Emily” is a short but rich piece of writing. The characters play a vital role in unraveling the story. Although we get to know many outsiders, it is not until the end that we truly discover the protagonist’s dark secrets. The plot revolves around the town’s curiosity about a woman who has always been secretive and introverted, living her whole life in a closed, musty house. The story is narrated from a first person plural perspective, offering an objective point of view. The narrator has observed the events as an onlooker and potential character, allowing readers to form their own conclusions and opinions about the characters without direct dialogue from their thoughts.
The small town setting is crucial in connecting all the other aspects of the story as it embodies a close-knit community where everyone knows everyone. The inhabitants are deeply interested in each other’s affairs, prompting further speculation and gossip in their quest to uncover significant stories. These various elements give rise to multiple symbolic elements within the narrative, such as the protagonist’s home. The house, which has historically represented wealth and prosperity for numerous generations, undergoes a similar decline as the aging woman, reflecting the notion that even the privileged are not immune to the passage of time. Ultimately, both social status and family history deteriorate with the inevitable effects of aging.
The author of this text highlights the significance of character in storytelling, particularly emphasizing its importance in this specific story. The main focus of the story is Emily, a character who remains relatively unchanged throughout the narrative, but whose presence has a profound influence on those around her. While the reader does not acquire a personal understanding of Emily, this deliberate distance between reader and character aligns with Faulkner’s intention. The unfamiliarity experienced by both reader and townspeople fuels their curiosity about Emily’s life, gradually developing her character without direct explanation. Initially, I speculated that Emily’s quiet and introverted nature could be attributed to her father’s overprotective behavior towards men. However, an alternative literary analysis suggests that Emily’s behavior might stem from a perception of superiority and disregard for financial responsibilities.
The town frequently brings up Emily’s failure to pay taxes, which highlights her reliance on male guidance and portrays her as selfish and unwilling to contribute to the town’s well-being. This lack of knowledge about Emily leads to various assumptions from both the readers and the townspeople, ranging from her shy nature due to an overbearing father to her being an arrogant woman. The only concrete description of Emily’s character we receive is her physical appearance as she ages. She initially appears as a slender figure dressed in white and later, when the Board of Aldermen visit her, she is described as a small, fat woman wearing black with a thin gold chain hanging from her waist and disappearing into her belt. She leans on an ebony crane adorned with a tarnished gold head.
The description of Emily’s physical appearance emphasizes her small and spare skeleton, which causes her to appear obese compared to others. She has a bloated, pale complexion, as if she has been submerged in stagnant water for a long time (56). This vivid depiction allows readers to visualize Emily and understand her cold attitude towards men, as she does not invite them to sit (56). Whether her guarded nature stems from a protective father or her inherited social status, Emily consistently keeps everyone out of her metaphorical house of secrets.
In many stories, authors often depict characters like Miss Emily in ways that reveal an internal struggle through inner dialogue. However, in this particular piece, Miss Emily’s disdain for common conversation lacks any inner dialogue, leaving readers to form their own interpretations of her behavior. The enigmatic nature of Miss Emily’s character is evident to both the other characters in the story and the reader. Throughout the narrative, there is no moment where her true self or intentions are revealed. Even until the end of the story, it remains unclear why her presumed fiancé is found in bed with a skeletal grin.
One of the key factors in shaping Emily’s controversial character is the plot. The plot in this story is somewhat disjointed, as the timeline is not presented in a chronological order, making it challenging to identify the initial conflict, climax, and resolution. Even after reading the concluding sentence, it remains difficult to ascertain the resolution. It is plausible that Faulkner intended for the resolution to be the townsfolk finally discovering Emily’s long-kept secrets within her home. Alternatively, it could be seen as the resolution of all the puzzle pieces coming together to reveal the enigma surrounding Emily herself.
The story begins with the discussion of a funeral for Emily Grierson. Everyone in town attended the funeral not because she was a likeable woman, but because she was a woman known only through speculation, gossip, and her “hereditary obligation” (55) to be exempt from taxes. Men paid their respects for a “fallen monument” (55) while women came out of “curiosity” (55). Faulkner uses this to lay the foundation for the story’s plot. Despite being highly regarded due to her hereditary roots, Emily is seen as an obligation and somewhat of a burden as the responsibility to take care of her is passed down through generations. She used to live on one of the nicest streets in Jefferson, but now it is considered one of the worst because it has aged and decayed along with Miss Emily (Sem, Web). The plot of the story revolves around a woman who has become a victim of aging and time, and the town that has unwillingly inherited the task of preserving her legacy.
According to Sem and Web, Miss Emily used to live on one of the nicest streets in Jefferson, but it is now regarded as one of the worst. This deterioration parallels the aging and decay of Miss Emily herself. The main issue in the story is the unpaid town taxes, which stem from a belief that Miss Emily’s father had lent money to the town. Despite the uncertainty surrounding this tale, Miss Emily relied on Colonel Sartoris’ promise that she would not have to pay taxes for her traditional home. However, as new, younger homeowners gain authority, the conflict over taxes becomes more acute. Despite several attempts to collect taxes, Miss Emily manages to defeat them, just as she had defeated their fathers thirty years earlier in a dispute about a foul odor.
This section is crucial because it highlights a longstanding issue with Emily, whether it be related to her finances or a foul smell. Section II focuses on the foul odor, which becomes another conflict in the story. Many years ago, a repugnant smell emanated from Emily’s house, causing numerous complaints from neighbors. The extent of their frustration was such that a group of men covertly invaded her yard during the night to investigate the source of the stench, ultimately resorting to spreading lime to cover it up and rid the area of the offensive odor. Clearly, Emily is perceived as a burden by the townspeople who have encountered unresolved complaints and unpleasant smells while enduring her refusal to pay taxes. The climax of the narrative is somewhat elusive, but can arguably be identified when Emily meets Homer.
After her father’s death, Emily becomes more withdrawn than she was before. The townspeople are both confused and outraged by her relationship with Homer, as they believe someone of her social status should not be involved with him. Gossip spreads rapidly, furthering the public scandal as Emily tries to assert herself. Though it appears that Emily remains unaffected by the rumors and maintains her dignity, the men and women secretly critique her, damaging her reputation with their whispered comments.
Shortly after the affair has publicly begun, Emily purchases rat poison, specifically a bottle with a skull and bones labeled “For Rats” (59). This detail is significant to the plot as it may foreshadow future events and also symbolize Emily’s betrayal of her social standing by being involved with a “foreman” (58). While it is speculated that Emily might commit suicide, this assumption is far from the reality.
The conclusion of the story is not entirely clear. The story jumps between past and present, lacking a clear chronological order for the past events, making it difficult to consider the conclusion as part of the opening paragraph. However, according to Faulkner, the opening paragraph sets the stage for the inevitable conclusion: the rotting corpse in the bedroom. The constant curiosity throughout the story fuels the events that eventually lead to the entire town gathering at Emily’s house to pay their respects. Before Emily’s body is even laid to rest, the neighbors and visitors eagerly search her house for a room that has been unseen for forty years. The description of their entry into the room foreshadows the shocking conclusion: “The violence of breaking down the door seemed to fill this room with pervading dust.” The room had remained untouched, preserving both its tomb-like state and the “fleshless grin” on Homer’s skeletal remains.
The previous 40 years have led up to a sudden realization of events – the rat poison, the foul odor, and Homer’s sudden disappearance. Emily, motivated either by a desire to maintain her dream of a husband and a normal life or by her own self-despair for choosing a man disapproved by the town, has killed him. The presence of a single strand of gray hair on the pillow next to him only supports the belief that she ended his life either to keep him close or to remove him from her life permanently. Even after her death, Emily’s actions and motives continue to perplex and intrigue the townspeople, causing ongoing questions and speculation. She will forever remain an enigma, regardless of whether she is liked or not; she is viewed as a complete unknown.
The text highlights the idea that stories can present various perspectives and points of view. This is particularly pronounced when multiple characters are involved, as their internal dialogue and reactions to events can express diverse views. In the specific story being discussed, the narrator’s point of view is in the first person, specifically using the plural form of “we”. This choice of narration creates a sense of a collective and unified opinion about Emily. It is not clear how the narrator is connected to Emily or whether they have personal experience with her. The narration, however, focuses less on personal opinions and more on objectively describing Emily’s actions and how others react to her. As Michaela I explains, Faulkner employs this narrative technique to highlight the community’s decision to marginalize certain individuals.
The story’s portrayal of Emily’s character aims to isolate her and highlight her perceived strangeness in the town. The point of view expressed by one of the town’s residents leaves no doubt about the town’s opinion of her. Faulkner’s use of “we” as the narrator allows for a unanimous perspective on Emily, eliminating any potential for misjudgment.
The first section of the story establishes that the town sees Emily as a responsibility and obligation passed down through generations. This creates a divide between the town and Emily. Faulkner further develops this by showing how the town wants to help Emily in her troubled life and sympathize with her during difficult times, but also criticizes her. The town questions and criticizes Emily’s motives, actions, and reactions throughout various events. When her father dies, opinions form that are both sympathetic and harsh. While some people feel relieved and happy that Emily, a woman with high social status, has become more relatable by experiencing loss, others quickly change their perspective when they feel obligated to offer condolences and assistance due to moral and traditional values, rather than genuine empathy or friendship.
The story portrays Faulkner’s attempt to depict the town’s struggle with accepting Emily. However, they revert to judgmental ways when she refuses to conform or integrate herself into the community. The town finds it difficult to see past her isolation and instead draws conclusions about her mysterious lifestyle based solely on gossip and speculation. When Emily meets Homer, a laborer, initially the townspeople view it as a positive development. However, this quickly turns into mockery due to her lower social status. Older individuals believe that even grief should not cause a lady to forget her social responsibilities. They view Emily’s behavior as unacceptable for someone of her high status and worry not only about her but also about upholding tradition.
The point of view in the story effectively shows that Emily was unconventional and non-traditional. She did not follow the social norms of the town, which caused a divide between her life and the life of the townspeople. This divide increased her isolation, both due to the town’s alienation and her own choice to seclude herself.
The strongest portrayal of her alienation and lonely life was seen towards the end of the book. After enduring years of being ostracized by the town and engaging in secretive behavior, she met her end in solitude. “And so she died. Falling ill in a house filled with dust and shadows, with only an elderly Negro man attending to her. We were unaware of her illness; we had long ago given up… she passed away in one of the downstairs rooms, resting on a heavy walnut bed adorned with a yellow and moldy pillow, aged and deprived of sunlight.” This excerpt paints a disturbing image for multiple reasons. The depiction of Emily dying alone in a dusty and dim house perfectly encapsulates how her life was lived in this town. Perceived as peculiar and abnormal, any attempt to make her conform was ultimately abandoned as her resistance grew stronger. The town remained oblivious to Emily’s existence during her lifetime, and this passage confirms that they were not even aware of her demise.
The entire book portrays a town where the residents are interconnected and united in their efforts to criticize and invade the life of a miserable woman who simply wishes to be left in solitude. Regardless of her efforts and choices, she is constantly questioned and rejected, ultimately being condemned to live a solitary and deteriorating existence in a vast, empty house. Throughout her entire life, she has been nothing but a burden to the town.
“A Rose for Emily” is unique among literary works in that it primarily takes place in one setting: Emily’s home. This setting serves as both a physical and metaphoric representation, as it holds secrets and provides shelter for Emily from the townspeople. The house was once a symbol of wealth and prosperity, adorned with cupolas, spires, and scrolled balconies. It was situated on one of the most desirable streets in town. But over time, the house suffered from the changes in the economy, while the surrounding houses were torn down. Despite this, Emily’s house remained standing, standing out as an “eyesore” among gas stations and cotton wagons. Faulkner portrays the house as awkward and separate from the rest of the town.
The house in “A Rose for Emily” is compared to Emily herself, as both are set apart from society and resist change. The house is seen as a fallen legacy, reflecting the decline of the town of Jefferson after the Civil War. Just as the Grierson family was once high class, the town was once flourishing but has now deteriorated. The house symbolizes time, age, and resistance to change in a modernizing society. Similarly, Emily has aged and lost her beauty, but she was once considered desirable and of high social standing.
The description of Emily is symbolic of the house itself. The house, once admired for its grandeur and high position among the wealthiest families on the street, has become worn down and uninviting. Like the house, Emily is seen as a burden inherited by the town. Just as the house cannot be demolished, Emily cannot be swayed from her stubbornness. The house represents a refusal to conform in a changing world, mirroring Emily’s fear of leaving the familiar and venturing into the unknown. After her father’s death, Emily denies his passing and refuses to accept the change forced upon her. Despite numerous attempts to make her accept his death, she remains in denial for days. To escape this change, Emily shuts herself away in her home – the only constant in her life.
Despite the ever-changing world around her, Emily found solace in a familiar place where she could remain unchanged and accepted. Faulkner’s story does not explicitly address Emily’s struggle with accepting change, but her physical appearance throughout the narrative suggests that she has indeed changed over time, whether willingly or due to aging. By emphasizing her constant physical transformation, the author underscores the inevitability of change, despite Emily’s reluctance to embrace it. The house serves as a symbol of stability in her life, allowing her to exert control by keeping everything inside it consistent amid external changes. When Homer enters her life, he brings with him the promise of new beginnings and positive change. However, unbeknownst to the reader, Emily once again resists change. Her insistence on preserving the things she loves and her fear of losing loved ones drive her to purchase Arsenic.
The purchase of “Rat Poison” by the woman represents her resistance to change and fear of losing loved ones. She anticipated that Homer would bring about significant changes in her life and expected numerous unknown challenges that might make him reconsider staying with her. To ensure his unwavering loyalty out of her own fear, she resorts to poisoning him. The story’s conclusion further reinforces this fear of change when Homer is discovered in the bedroom, positioned “once lain in the attitude of an embrace,” having died while holding Emily. This body position symbolizes permanence and unchangingness, despite decay, as he is “the long sleep that outlasts love” and has been cuckolded by a force that conquers even the grimace of love, guaranteeing that he remains unchanged and constantly at Emily’s side.
