The Critique of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily"

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Recommended: Literary elements used in a rose for emily

The definition of denial is “a condition, in which someone will not admit that something sad, painful, etc., is true or real”.-Webster’s Dictionary There are points in our lives in which we are all in denial, and Miss Emily is no exception. In “A Rose for Emily”, a women who has had loveless life falls in love with a man and then he mysteriously vanishes, we learn latter that he died on their wedding and she has kept his body. The author, Faulkner won a Nobel peace award, in his speech he said, “I feel this award was not made to me as a man, but to my.” Through his work of “A Rose For Emily” Faulkner expresses honor, compassion, and pity.
Faulkner articulates honor in the story by Miss Emily trying to keep her father “alive”. Miss Emily struggled with a loss, her dad died and “She told them 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” She was clearly upset and wanted to keep her father alive. Just as anyone would be upset, maybe not to the extremes of holding the body hostage, but holding on to the memories so tight that you believe the person is just around the corner. However, Faulkner teaches us that it is not always in your best interest to hold on, Hermann Hesse agrees “Some of us think holding on makes us strong; but sometimes it is letting go.” Hesse
Passion is a vital component of Faulkner’s writing and is apparent in “A Rose for Emily” by her love for her betrothed. “I’ve come to know that what we want in life is the greatest indication of who we really are”-Evans This quote identifies what Miss Emily truly wanted, love. Again Miss Emily keeps Homer Barron’s body when he dies, “The man himself lay...

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...ty her by her misfortunes. It is obvious the Faulkner wants you to learn from his reading as he said once, “I give it to you not that you may remember time, but that you might forget it now and then for a moment and not spend all your breath trying to conquer it.”

Works Cited

Brainy Quote. N.p., 2011. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. quotes/quotes/h/hermannhes384604.html>. Buzz Feed. Buzz Feed, 2013. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. louispeitzman/william-faulkner-quotes-that-will-take-your-breath-away>. Good Reads. Goodreads, 2014. Web. 23 Feb. 2014. quotes/tag/want>. Merriam-Webster. Merriam Webster, 2014. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
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Notable Quotes. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2014.
p/pity_quotes.html>.

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