I. Thesis Statement: William Faulkner uses “A Rose for Emily”
to comment on how the South, at its own peril, is refusing to accept the inevitability of historical and social change
. If the South does not adopt to the changing times, it will die a lonely, perverse death like Miss Emily.
What are the two major themes of A Rose for Emily?
The main themes in “A Rose for Emily” are
secrecy and obsession, the Old South, and death and control
.
What is the main message of A Rose for Emily?
In “A Rose for Emily,” the main idea is, most obviously,
the inability or refusal of the protagonist, Emily Grierson, to accept and adapt to change
. The fact that the narrator refers to her as a “fallen monument” symbolizes precisely what she represents—a stubborn memorial to the past.
WHAT DOES A Rose for Emily say about society?
“A Rose for Emily” is a short story about the life of a woman with a tragic history. Faulkner’s commentary on social class is apparent in the story. … Faulkner’s commentary on the role of women in society is clear;
he believes that women are inferior to men, almost as second class citizens
.
WHAT DOES A Rose for Emily symbolize?
The rose symbolizes
dreams of romances and lovers
. These dreams belong to women, who like Emily Grierson, have yet to experience true love for themselves. Throughout the life of Emily Grierson, she remains locked up, never experiencing love from anyone but her father.
What is the irony in A Rose for Emily?
”A Rose for Emily” contains verbal irony
when Colonel Sartoris promises the Grierson family that if they loan the town money, they won’t have to pay taxes and when Emily tells the new mayor to see Colonel Sartoris, who has been dead for ten years, about her taxes
. Neither party means or believes what they are saying.
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.
What is the main conflict in A Rose for Emily?
The big internal conflict for Emily is
her struggle with reality
. She refuses to accept that she is no longer living in the antebellum South, where backroom deals could be made to evade taxes.
WHAT DOES A Rose for Emily say about death?
Death is irresistibly powerful and facilitates changes in life and society. This is best captured by the description of Emily who gave in to death slowly;
“She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water
” (Faulkner, 96).
Why is the town fascinated with Emily?
The townspeople are fascinated with Emily.
Her family has been prominent in the town
, and so Emily has been watched and wondered about her whole life-she has celebrity status. Emily actually has very little to do with the town, but the town is always scrutinizing her actions when she is spotted.
How was Homer Killed in A Rose for Emily?
Her struggle with loss and attachment is the impetus for the plot, driving her to kill Homer Barron, the man that is assumed to have married her.
Emily presumably poisons and kills Homer
, as she sees murder as the only way to keep Homer with her permanently.
Is Emily a villain or victim in A Rose for Emily?
In the short story “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, Mrs. Emily Grierson is portrayed as the villain, but when the story is further examined, it’s revealed that she truly isn’t a villain. To some people’s
chagrin, she is the victim of the story
.
Why did 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.
What does the gray hair symbolize in A Rose for Emily?
The gray hair on the pillow indicates that
she has been lying down on the bed, beside the corpse of her dead former fiance
. … Gray hair is sometimes seen as a sign of wisdom and respect. It’s a sign that the person has lived a life, worth living—full of experience.
Why isn’t it called A Rose for Miss Emily?
Death. The onset of the story reveals that
Miss Emily has died and the whole town is at her funeral
. Thus, going off the title, the rose must play a role in or symbolize aspects of Emily’s life story.
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.
‘
