What Happens At The End Of A Rose For Emily?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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“A Rose for Emily” ends with

the discovery of the forty-year-old corpse of Homer Barron

. Yeah. It's nasty. … Perhaps this is the real surprise of the ending: the realization that the town long ago pieced together the puzzle of Homer Barron's disappearance…and decided to play dumb.

What happens to Miss Emily's servant at the end of the story?

Tobe, miss Emily's servant, lets in the townswomen and then leaves by the backdoor. He's never seen again.

After the funeral, and after Emily is buried

, the townspeople go upstairs to break into the room that they know has been closed for forty years.

Did Emily kill herself in A Rose for Emily?

In “A Rose for Emily,”

Emily does not kill herself

, although the townspeople suspect she will after she is seen purchasing poison in the…

Why is the ending of A Rose for Emily ironic?

Dramatic irony occurs as Emily tries to have a romantic relationship with a man who is openly gay. … Situational irony is evident in the twist at the end when the reader realizes that

Emily didn't just kill Homer Barron

, but had been sleeping with his corpse.

Does Miss Emily kill herself?

After she purchases the poison,

the townspeople conclude that she will kill herself

. Emily's instabilities, however, lead her in a different direction, and the final scene of the story suggests that she is a necrophiliac.

Why did Emily keep her father's body?

She sought

to find a replacement for her father

and was attracted to the authoritarian character in the men that she loved and this may have been the reason why she kept their bodies around after their deaths to maintain the same environment to which she had been accustomed and to alleviate the feeling of loneliness.

Why did Miss Emily never marry?

She purchased the items before Homer made it clear that they would not be married and then bought the rat poison. Emily's main reasons for killing him were because she was angry that he had turned her down, and that she knew that this was her last, best chance at matrimony.

Why do the townspeople keep repeating poor Emily?

In “A Rose for Emily,” the townspeople keep repeating “poor Emily” as

an indication that they believe she has fallen from her privileged social standing

. Miss Emily does not conform to their social expectations, particularly when she chooses to enjoy the company of a man who is a day laborer from the North.

What did Miss Emily's father leave her when he died?

Emily Grierson – The main character of the story. Emily's father kept her from

seeing suitors and controlled her social life

, keeping her in isolation until his , when she is 30 years old.

What clues of foreshadowing the ending did you notice in A Rose for Emily?

In “A Rose for Emily,” some details that foreshadow the conclusion are

the unpleasant smell that emanates from Emily's house, Emily purchasing rat poison, and the disappearance of Homer.

What is a simile in A Rose for Emily?

Faulkner uses a simile to describe the absolute stillness of Miss Emily's figure in the window: ‘

As they recrossed the lawn, a window that had been dark was lighted and Miss Emily sat in it, the light behind her, and her upright torso motionless as that of an idol.

How does the druggist's note in Part 3 of A Rose for Emily create dramatic irony?

How does the druggist's note in Part 3 of “A Rose for Emily” create dramatic irony? The dramatic irony is

that Miss Emily really is getting the arsenic for rats, or one rat in particular: Homer Barron

. Though the druggist doesn't know this the reader does, which is why it's ironic.

Why did Emily become obsessed with Baron Homer?

Women of Emily's social standing were expected to marry a prestigious man and have a family. Miss Emily had mental issues from being single well into her thirties; an inherited insanity and from the way her father treated her. Miss Emily became obsessed with Homer Barron

because of her mental state of mind

.

Who is the only person to live with Emily after her father's death?

Emily Grierson

Devastated and alone after her father's death, she is an object of pity for the townspeople. After a life of having potential suitors rejected by her father, she spends time after his death with a newcomer,

Homer Barron

, although the chances of his marrying her decrease as the years pass.

Is Homer's love for Emily true?


There is no real indication

about Homer's perspective on his relationship with Emily. Obviously, he has some sort of affection for her that makes him want to spend time with her, but what Emily perceives as romantic interest is merely platonic from his end.

Is Emily a victim or villain?

In this story,

Emily is both a victim and a victimizer

. As a young woman, for example, Emily is the victim of her father's control. Because he believes that no suitor is good enough for her, Emily is not allowed the opportunity to marry and have a life of her own.

Maria Kunar
Author
Maria Kunar
Maria is a cultural enthusiast and expert on holiday traditions. With a focus on the cultural significance of celebrations, Maria has written several blogs on the history of holidays and has been featured in various cultural publications. Maria's knowledge of traditions will help you appreciate the meaning behind celebrations.