What is symbolism? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary symbolism: is the use of symbols to express or represent ideas or qualities in literature, art. What is the writer or artistes trying to intemperate in their work? William Faulkner and Edgar Allan Poe were literary geniuses in their use of dark and subdued writing styles, but in my opinion no one takes the time to look in depth into the real meanings of there works . This paper will elaborate on the use of symbolism in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner and The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. In the story “A Rose for Emily” the elderly Emily Grierson is the subject of mystery throughout her town. She is described as a reclusive individual only having the company of her faithful butler for company. The House she lived in is depicted as a “big, squash, frame house that had once been white and decorated with cupolas and spires”( Kirszner, Mandell 220). The house symbolize the once elegance and grandeur of Miss Emily appearance that has now morphed into a “bloated body” with a “pallid hue” that resembles the big, squarish frame of her one time grand home (Klippel 175). In my opinion Faulkner's message was to show that despite the brilliance of Miss Emily's status and countenances her beauty eventually faded in the annual of time. The title of the story inflects and undertone of mystery to the story. Why would Falkner choose the word “Rose” in his title. “The “Rose” is interpreted as secrecy: the confidential relationship between the author and his character”(Melczarek 240). On a personal anecdote I see the rose as fading beauty. A rose is seen for its deep crimson petals which symbolizes the splendour and vitality of Miss Emily's youth; however, as rose pet... ... middle of paper ... ... Klippel, Heike. "House, Wife, Woman, And Time." Kronoscope 7.2 (2007): 137-168. Academic Search Complete. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. Melczarek, Nick. "Narrative Motivation In Faulkner's A ROSE FOR EMILY." Explicator 67.4 (2009): 237-243. Literary Reference Center. Web. 22 Nov. 2013. Wing-chi Ki, Magdalen. "Ego-Evil And "The Tell-Tale Heart.." Renascence 61.1 (2008): 25-38. Literary Reference Center. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Pitcher, Edward W. "The Physiognomical Meaning Of Poe's "The Tell-Tale Heart." Studies In Short Fiction 16.3 (1979): 231. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Nov. 2013. Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephen R. Mandell "A Rose for Emily" Compact Literature by William Falkner 8th ed. Boston:Wadsworth, 2013. 220-26 Kirszner, Laurie G. and Stephan R. Mandell. "The Tell-Tale Heart". Compact Literature by Edgar Allan Poe 8th ed. Boston: Wadsworth, 2013. 619-22
Faulkner, William. A Rose For Emily. 10th ed. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc., 2010. 681-687. Print.
In "The Tell-Tale Heart," by Edgar Allen Poe, the setting, the plot, the characters and even the point of view are great contributing factors to the overall reaction of the readers of the narrative.
Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” depicts the human mind through the struggle of distinguishing reality and imaginary. Poe utilizes the narrator/agonist to demonstrate how the suffering of one’s perceived acuteness of senses, in relation to anxiety, leads to an unwanted culmination. The narrator labels his own nervous behavior as “disease” that has “sharpened [his] senses” (691). Poe’s use of “disease,” indicates disorder and destruction, and also foreshadows the spread and consumption of the narrator’s fear. The confidence that results from the narrator’s justified senses proves to draw him further from his own morality. By example, he states, Moreover, his senses stem from his overarching obsession and hatred for the old man’s eye. This is demonstrated by his continued distinct characteristics he places on the eye—“eye of a vulture,” “pale blue eye,” “Evil Eye,” and “damned spot” (691-693). The collection of descriptions throughout his efforts to kill the old man shows the torment he suffers from his psychosis. The narrator’s statement, “it haunted me day and night,” displays his motivation for killing the old man. However, the significance of the narrator actually committing the murderous act demonstrates the definitive loss of his rationality and morality. Poe displays, that the dark side of the mind is a result of this los...
Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” Meyer, Michael. The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing. 10th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin 's, 2013. 99-105. Print.
Kurtz, Elizabeth Carney. "Faulkner's 'A Rose for Emily'". Explicator. Heldref Publications. 44.2 (1986): 40. Academic Search Complete. Blinn College, Bryan, Lib. 18 Oct. 2007
"The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe." The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014.
Faulkner, William. "A Rose for Emily". An Introduction to Literature, 11th ed. Ed. Barnet, Sylvan, et al. 287-294.
Robinson, E. Arthur. “Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’” Critics on Poe. Ed. David B. Kesterson. Coral Gables, FL: University of Miami Press, 1973. 107-115. Print.
Faulkner, William. "A Rose for Emily." A Critical Introduction to Short Fiction. Eds. JoAnn Buck et al. Southlake: Fountainhead Press. 96-103. Print.
More often than not Poe loves to delve deep into human terror and draw the line between what is real and what is not while also exploring the extremes of two opposite emotions between love and hate. In “The Tell-Tale Heart”, Poe explores the human complexity of one who experiencing these emotions and fusing them together
With every turn of the page, the dark and twisted storyline of “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner leaves the reader in a stronger state of shock and inevitably speechless. Faulkner cleverly uses symbols, characters, and theme to illustrate the inner thoughts of Emily Grierson and the community’s ongoing struggle between tradition and modernism. .
"It is impossible to say how the idea first entered my brain; but once conceived, it haunted me day and night." "The Tell Tale Heart,” by Edgar Allan Poe is a story based on horror and mystery. It tells about a man who was insane, he believed that an old man was to be evil because he had a different eye then the rest. That bothered him so much that he decided to kill this old man so he wouldn't have to look, see, or hear about the evil eye that bothered him so much. In Poe's short story the narrator sees himself as a fair-minded person. However, the unbiased reader, understands that he is mad. Poe weaves a horrific tale that creates an anxious mood for the reader.
Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” The Norton Introduction to Literature. Portable 10th ed. Ed. Alison Booth and Kelly J. Mays. New York: Norton, 2011. 308-315. Print.
In the short story ¡§A Rose for Emily,¡¨ (1930) William Faulkner presents Miss Emily¡¦s instable state of mind through a missed sequence of events. Faulkner arranges the story in fractured time and then introduces characters who contribute to the development of Miss Emily¡¦s personality. The theme of isolation is also presented by Faulkner¡¦s descriptive words and symbolic images.
Three elements of literary work that truly sum up the theme of The Tell Tale Heart are setting, character, and language. Through these elements we can easily see how guilt, an emotion, can be more powerful than insanity. Even the most demented criminal has feelings of guilt, if not remorse, for what he has done. This is shown exquisitely in Poe's writing. All three elements were used to their extreme to convey the theme. The balance of the elements is such that some flow into others. It is sometimes hard to distinguish one from another. Poe's usage of these elements shows his mastery not only over the pen, but over the mind as well.