A Rose for Emily is a short story by American author William
Faulkner, first published in the April 30, 1930. The story takes place in
Faulkner's fictional city, Jefferson, Mississippi. The theme of this story is
love someone too much until willing to commit murder to fulfill her desires.
Character
Emily
Grierson is a
mysterious figure who changes from a vibrant and hopeful young girl to a
cloistered and secretive old woman.
Homer
Barron is A
foreman from the North. Homer is a large man with a dark complexion, a booming
voice, and light-colored eyes.
Judge
Stevens is A
mayor of Jefferson. Eighty years old, Judge Stevens attempts to delicately
handle the complaints about the smell emanating from the Grierson property.
Mr.
Grierson is
Emily’s father. Mr. Grierson is a controlling,
Tobe is Emily’s servant. Tobe is the
only lifeline that Emily has to the outside world. For years, he dutifully
cares for her and tends to her needs.
Colonel
Sartoris is A
former mayor of Jefferson. Colonel Sartoris absolves Emily of any tax burden
after the death of her father.
Old Lady Wyatt is Emily’s great-aunt, had gone
completely crazy at last, believed that the Griersons held themselves a little
too high for what they really were.
The
Cousins is
Emily's extended relatives from Alabama.
Point
of view
This story
is narrated through a third person’s point of view. It appears that the
narrator is on the outside looking in, and giving his or her version of the
life and events leading to the death of Emily.
Plot
A Rose for
Emily used back and forth plot. In the first and last story are the present
time, and in the middle of the story are
flashbacks to various points in time.
Exposition: The people attending to Emily’s
funeral and looking inside of her house. Then, it comes to this strange little
story about taxes.
Rising Action: After the death of her father
Emily refused for her father to be buried and Emily even kept her father’s body
for three days. One day she met Homer Barron, and they dated. Then Emily bought
poison when Homer visited Emily’s house after that, his presence never heard
again. And there was a bad smell around her house.
Climax: Townspeople assumed that Homer
went out of town and left Emily. So, Emily never left her house for many years
and she only accompanied by her servant until she died.
Falling Action: after the funeral of Emily,
townspeople go to Emily’s house to see the inside of her house.
Resolution: After her house was examined there
was one room decorated with bridal clothes and seems like bridal room. And on
the bed lay a dead man.
Setting
Setting of
place in the short story are in Emily’s house, Funeral, and Jefferson town. Therefore
setting of time are at Midnight, in the Summer, and Sunday afternoon.
Symbolize
In
general, roses often symbolize love and honor but are also used in funerals
The rose
in the title of the story could symbolize both love and morbid tragedy
The “rose
for Emily” could be Homer & the vision of marriage she has with him (love)
The “rose
for Emily” could be the tragedy of killing him to keep him with her forever
(“funeral”)
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