What Is The Mood Of A Rose For Emily

William Faulkner’s ‘A Rose for Emily’ illustrates a gothic fiction that depicts the distress and love story of Miss Emily as narrated in the point of view of the residents of Jefferson County. I must admit that Faulkner knew exactly how to evoke an atmosphere of dismay supported by dark images, murder, mysterious life of Emily, and the gossips of the Jefferson residents. The central theme in the story is isolation where the entire society and change seem to have neglected Emily, who readers can understand that is either refusing to embrace change or holding onto the past. One may wonder how Faulkner managed to pull the gothic fiction in a manner that captivates readers' attention while maintaining an objective first person narrator point of
Faulkner creates the entire community as the narrator in the story – referring to themselves as "we". Apparently, the tone is confessional due to the manner in which the "we" tell Miss Emily's story. Residents of Jefferson tell the story in various emotional perspectives. The narrator referred to Emily as, "Poor Emily," in section III (454). Again in section II (453), the readers see the narrator saying, "that is when people had begun to feel sorry for her." In the two instances, we see the sympathetic tone of the community towards Emily. Additionally, Faulkner manages to make readers angry when by portraying the Jefferson community as doing too little to improve the condition of Miss Emily despite observing the odds. For instance, Miss Emily never interacted with most of the townspeople, yet they readers get information about Miss Emily through their rumor mills. It is as if the entire town conspired against the Miss Emily. Annoyingly, the townspeople seem to wish death for Miss Emily. In section IV, they say, "the next day we all said, she will kill herself; and we said it would be the best thing," (Section IV, 454). I think the confessional tone and gossipy attitude throughout the story confirm that cared less for Miss Emily except for the rumors Griersons generated in daily conversation of the
In that way, Faulkner succeeds into creating an inquisitive attitude among the townspeople such that they would question or pessimistically view happenings surrounding Miss Emily. Sadness and depression are all over in the story because several people in Miss Emily's life dies to start with her father, supposed lover Homer Barron, and finally Emily herself. When Emily meets her lover Homer Barron, the townspeople know he is gay, yet they conceal the crucial information from Emily. Instead, they become sad for her for being happy with the wrong choice of the person. The townspeople wonder why Miss Emily would keep the same servant, Tobe for her entire life. When the strange smell comes from Miss Emily's house, people fear to confront her about it. As a matter of fact, Judge Stevens dismisses the case against Emily by say, "will you accuse a lady to her face of smelling bad?"(Section II, 453) Readers can view the Jefferson society as fearful through Judge Steven's sentiments. I think Faulkner succeeded in making ‘A Rose for Emily’ story a fiction by contrasting the society and Miss Emily. It is unusual for a person to live the number of years Emily lived, fail to pay taxes, have one servant, and people around her disappear, but the society just gossips instead of taking