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Emily Faulkners a Rose for Emily

Topics: William Faulkner, Love, Sartoris Pages: 4 (1226 words) Published: February 17, 2012
A depiction of William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily
ENGL 1102
February 2012

William Faulkner’s fictional short story, “A Rose for Emily”, from The Collected Stories of William Faulkner (1950,) displays the daily struggles of a troubled woman named Emily Grierson. Emily was raised by her father and adapted his stubborn unwillingness to move forward with society’s continuously changing direction; Emily became trapped in her father’s ways. This entrapment led to a disconnection between Emily and present day society of the story. The main character, Emily Grierson, is a distraught woman who is lost in the passage of time from generation to generation as a result of her relationship with her father, her perceived lover, and the town of Jefferson.

After the death of her father, Emily was completely distraught. When people would come to visit Emily to empathize with her for her loss, she showed no grief. In her mind, Emily believed her father was still alive. She even told her visitors that he was still alive, although they knew he was deceased. Emily protested her father was still alive, therefore, his body was allowed to remain in the home for three days before ministers and doctors were about to resort to law enforcement. Finally, Emily, “broke down and they buried her father quickly” (Faulkner, 86). In an attempt to maintain the family’s significant social status, the town of Jefferson held Emily in high regard because of her family’s social status. As their generation continued to grow older, a newer generation continued to press forward, but Emily was left behind in the transition. As a result, she became more distant and antisocial with society. Emily loved her father, even though he had never allowed her to have a normal relationship with the common man. He had driven all of the young men away which left Emily with no one. Her father essentially “robbed” her of having a chance to experience true love which led her to “cling” to him, “as people will”...
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