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William faulkner interpretation of rose in rose for emily
Faulkner's narrative style in a rose for emily
The narrative feature of a rose for Emily
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William Faulkner duly uses a unique writing style that consists of long sentences that are appropriate for the setting of “A Rose for Emily.” The long, convoluted sentences Faulkner uses in his story are meant to slow down the pace of the reader. Faulkner's long sentences contrast with the short phrases and sentences he cleverly places throughout the story in order to communicate important events. In “A Rose for Emily,” author William Faulkner uses many long sentences to describe the setting of the story, yet uses short sentences or phrases for dramatic events to have a psychological effect on the reader. William Faulkner grew up a town in Mississippi, like where “A Rose for Emily” takes place. Faulkner wanted the reader to pay attention while …show more content…
The reader is baffled by what just happened, and then Faulkner ends the story with, “Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward, that faint invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, and we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair” (Faulkner 634). Faulkner did not use a short sentence to describe the what went on between Homer Barron and Miss Emily, even though this was a crucial moment in the story. Instead, William wrote, “we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair,” and that is what answered all of the reader’s unanswered questions throughout the story (Faulkner 634). In “A Rose for Emily,” author William Faulkner used many long sentences to describe the setting of the story. To release the tension, Faulkner uses short sentences or phrases for dramatic events to have a psychological effect on the reader. Faulkner used an unconventional third person's point of view through the town’s eyes to baffle the reader throughout the story. William Faulkner was successful in creating a captivating and haunting story for the
William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" is a story that uses flashbacks to foreshadow a surprise ending. The story begins with the death of a prominent old woman, Emily, and finishes with the startling discovery that Emily as been sleeping with the corpse of her lover, whom she murdered, for the past forty years. The middle of the story is told in flashbacks by a narrator who seems to represent the collective memory of an entire town. Within these flashbacks, which jump in time from ten years past to forty years past, are hidden clues which prepare the reader for the unexpected ending, such as hints of Emily's insanity, her odd behavior concerning the deaths of loved ones, and the evidence that the murder took place.
6. West, Ray B., Jr. "Atmosphere and Theme in Faulkner's 'A Rose for Emily'." William Faulkner: Four Decades of Criticism. Ed. Linda Welshimer Wagner. Michigan State University Press, 1973. 192-198. Rpt. in Short Story Criticism. Ed. Laurie Lanzen Harris and Sheila Fitzgerald. Vol. 1. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. Literature Resource Center. Web. 5 July 2011.
William Faulkner’s "A Rose for Emily" is perhaps his most famous and most anthologized short story. From the moment it was first published in 1930, this story has been analyzed and criticized by both published critics and the causal reader. The well known Literary critic and author Harold Bloom suggest that the story is so captivating because of Faulkner’s use of literary techniques such as "sophisticated structure, with compelling characterization, and plot" (14). Through his creative ability to use such techniques he is able to weave an intriguing story full of symbolism, contrasts, and moral worth. The story is brief, yet it covers almost seventy five years in the life of a spinster named Emily Grierson. Faulkner develops the character Miss Emily and the events in her life to not only tell a rich and shocking story, but to also portray his view on the South’s plight after the Civil War. Miss Emily becomes the canvas in which he paints the customs and traditions of the Old South or antebellum era. The story “A Rose For Emily” becomes symbolic of the plight of the South as it struggles to face change with Miss Emily becoming the tragic heroin of the Old South.
One great puzzle in "A Rose for Emily," highlighted by Faulkner's language is the exact nature of Emily's relationship with Homer Barron. That is because Homer himself remains such an enigma. With an initial reading of the story, Homer appears to be an average kind of man. Those things about him that Faulkner reveals to us, such as his being "a Northerner [and] a day laborer"(279), while highly uncomplimentary in the eyes of the people of Jefferson, warrant little attention from a modern reader. We are glad for Emily and do not begrudge her the companionship, but contrary to Hal Blythe's view of Homer in his article, he never appears to be an "aristocratic and . . . chivalric . . . courtly lover"(49). He is, in fact, a construction worker whom the little boys of Jefferson followed to hear shout at the "niggers"(Faulkner 279). Little about him is aristocratic or chivalrous, because his relationship with Emily is h...
In the first sentence the reader is informed that the main character, Emily Grierson, has died and that the entire town has attended and everyone for a different reason. The narrator begins a flashback to ten years before her death when the “backbone” of the city began to harass Emily for her taxes; the reader is introduced to a situation. Then flashback another thirty years to when her father passed and that’s when Emily began to live for herself and met Homer Barron. The towns people began to interfere out of jealousy but always stated that it was them having pity on Emily and got her upper class family involved with the socially unacceptable relationship; the reader at this point has received the conflict. The reader receives clues throughout the second flashback to conclude that Emily has killed Homer out of fear; this is where Faulkner provided us with the climax. Years pass and nothing really goes on at the Grierson house which raises the mystery of what is going on behind closed doors; the falling action of the story. Upon Emily’s death the ladies of the town enter her home and discover Homer’s corpse in a shut off bedroom upstairs with one piece of Emily’s hair on the pillow next to him; bringing the story to an end and giving the reader the denouement.
As Faulkner begins “A Rose for Emily” with death of Emily, he both immediately and intentionally obscures the chronology of the short story to create a level of distance between the reader and the story and to capture the reader’s attention. Typically, the reader builds a relationship with each character in the story because the reader goes on a journey with the character. In “A Rose for Emily”, Faulkner “weaves together the events of Emily’s life” is no particular order disrupting the journey for the reader (Burg, Boyle and Lang 378). Instead, Faulkner creates a mandatory alternate route for the reader. He “sends the reader on a dizzying voyage by referring to specific moments in time that have no central referent, and thus the weaves the past into the present, the present into the past. “Since the reader is denied this connection with the characters, the na...
The methods an author uses to write a story is important, as it highlights the theme of the literature piece for the readers and supports what the author wants to convey. In “A Rose for Emily,” written by William Faulkner, uses a perspective that enhances the meaning of the story. Writes in a point of view that base on perception from a collective community towards the main character, Miss Emily Grierson. From these observations, the town sees Miss Emily as a delicate woman, however, she is stronger than she seems. The short story was written in a way, that shadows the main character’s true self from society and how they use the misconceptions to their advantage. Miss Emily does not try to change how the town views her, but uses this impression to benefit herself.
period in her life. These parts are prime examples of how Faulkner jumps back and forth throughout Emily’s lifetime. Part one begins with Emily’s funeral while part two begins “thirty years before”, “two years after her fathers death and a short time after her sweetheart”, Homer Barron. (93) Part three begins with her meeting Homer. This is interesting because the part before takes place after he dies. This also shows how Faulkner keeps one guessing with his unorthodox plot order. The next part talks of how Emily is planning to supposedly kill herself. It tells of how she buys the...
At the beginning of the story when her father died, it was mentioned that “[Emily] told [the ladies in town] that her father was not dead. She did that for three days, with the ministers calling on her, and the doctors, trying to persuade her to let them dispose of the body” (626). Faulkner reveals Emily’s dependency on her father through the death of her father. As shown in this part of the story, Emily was very attached to her father and was not able to accept that fact that he was no longer around. She couldn’t let go of the only man that loved her and had been with her for all those years. While this may seem like a normal reaction for any person who has ever lost a loved one, Faulkner emphasizes Emily’s dependence and attachment even further through Homer Barron. After her father’s death, Emily met a man name Homer, whom she fell in love with. While Homer showed interest in Emily at the beginning he became uninterested later on. “Homer himself had remarked—he liked men” (627) which had caused Emily to become devastated and desperate. In order to keep Homer by her side, Emily decided to poison Homer and keep him in a bedroom in her home. It was clear that she was overly attached to Homer and was not able to lose another man that she
In Faulkner’s tale “A Rose for Emily” there are many historical elements throughout the story; Faulkner uses them to give an authentic feel to the story and to add to the setting. A recurring theme that I found was reference to the reconstruction of the South after the Civil War. The setting of the South after their demise in the Civil War adds character to the story and to the characters. The attitudes people had and the way people treated Emily with respect was a tradition of the “Old South” that is presented throughout this tale.
Faulkner’s writing all have something in common; each piece of literature leaves the readers wondering. Faulkner expresses his life in efforts to imitate the southern small town in “A Rose for Emily.” Like his own town, Jefferson is filled with gossip and racism from the townspeople. This has affected his writing in multiple ways, especially in “A Rose for Emily.”
Stories are often used as a platform for authors to have their voices heard. The stories help deliver an overall message using devices such as symbolism. William Faulkner often wrote about the way he saw the world; most commonly his stories take place in and portray the South. “A Rose for Emily” is full of symbolism, with many story elements representing themes such as the inability to control death, the historical conflict between the northern and southern United States, and the struggle between keeping traditions alive and changing for the future.
In "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner purposes to surprise and shock his readers. His skillful use of words and time allows insight into the life of Miss Emily without even hinting at the morbid finale. Faulkner's choice of narrator, his references to the Old South, and his unconventional plot leads his readers to places he wants them to be; he gives them just enough to keep them in suspense. He uses subtle clues to foreshadow a ghastly outcome. References to smell, decay, and Miss Emily's corpse like appearance all guide his readers to the climatic end's ultimate irony
In "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner's use of setting and characterization foreshadows and builds up to the climax of the story. His use of metaphors prepares the reader for the bittersweet ending. A theme of respectability and the loss of, is threaded throughout the story. Appropriately, the story begins with death, flashes back to the past and hints towards the demise of a woman and the traditions of the past she personifies. Faulkner has carefully crafted a multi-layered masterpiece, and he uses setting, characterization, and theme to move it along.
Burduck, Michael L. "Another View of Faulkner's Narrator in 'A Rose for Emily'." The University of Mississippi Studies in English 8 (1990): 209-211. Rpt. in Literature Resource Center. Detroit: Gale, 2016. Literature Resource Center. Web. 22 June 2016.