"A Rose for Emily" Research Paper
“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner In the short story, “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner the focus is on Miss Emily. She had a southern up bringing that was vital to the readers understanding of her mental collapse. It was socially unacceptable during her lifetime for a woman not to be married when they are in the South. To this day, it is encouraged and believed to be happy in a Southern society. Happiness can be anything from money to marriage. It is easy to see how one can relate “A Rose for Emily” to a Southern setting because there is community, family, religion, and location and date. Miss Emily was all of these things that represent a Southern society.
Miss Emily is the protagonist in this short story. She is forced to conform to the Southern values of her father. Emily was a relic of Southern curiosity and past values. She was considered fallen because she had been proven vulnerable to death and decay. Miss Emily’s father chased away any man that wanted to marry her, showing how controlling her father is. It is easy to see that her father is controlling and over protective of her. This kind of environment for women was actually typical of southern society.
Miss Emily would dress in a conspicuous manner, like any of the other women of this time, because their appearance is directly reflected on their husbands or fathers to impress onlookers. Her father regarded her to as a piece of property. The house that Miss Emily lives in is an example for the show of wealth that aged with her. The house was just as lifeless as the person in it, Miss Emily. When Miss Emily died, the house was seen by the public as an eyesore and was seen as empty and lifeless. The Grierson house that William Faulkner used was a symbol of Miss Emily’s change in her social status over time. Emily was the last living Grierson and symbolized her families rich past along with holding true to the fact that all of the other members in the family are considered strong and
Miss Emily is the protagonist in this short story. She is forced to conform to the Southern values of her father. Emily was a relic of Southern curiosity and past values. She was considered fallen because she had been proven vulnerable to death and decay. Miss Emily’s father chased away any man that wanted to marry her, showing how controlling her father is. It is easy to see that her father is controlling and over protective of her. This kind of environment for women was actually typical of southern society.
Miss Emily would dress in a conspicuous manner, like any of the other women of this time, because their appearance is directly reflected on their husbands or fathers to impress onlookers. Her father regarded her to as a piece of property. The house that Miss Emily lives in is an example for the show of wealth that aged with her. The house was just as lifeless as the person in it, Miss Emily. When Miss Emily died, the house was seen by the public as an eyesore and was seen as empty and lifeless. The Grierson house that William Faulkner used was a symbol of Miss Emily’s change in her social status over time. Emily was the last living Grierson and symbolized her families rich past along with holding true to the fact that all of the other members in the family are considered strong and
Cited: "A Rose for Emily." www.enotes.com. Enotes, 2011. Web. <http://www.enotes.com/rose-emily>. McMichael, George. Anthology of American Literature Volume II: Realism to the Present . 10th. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print.