Analysis Of A Rose For Emily

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A Rose for Emily: A Literary Analysis Shanna Ockert A Rose for Emily is the story of an old woman who has lived in the town of Jefferson her entire life. The narrator illustrates the theme of decay in the town, Emily’s house, and Emily herself. The story begins with the town finding out about Emily's death, and throughout it we learn of the life of Emily, and her relationship with the town, her father, and her lover. At the end of the story we find out about the disturbing truth that Emily was hiding. As Emily grows older so does Jefferson. While she had once lived on one of the nicest streets in the town, it is now considered to be one of the worst. It would seem that the street had aged and decayed with Miss Emily. In her youth, Emily and her family were respected and known as some of Jefferson's finest citizens. As Emily has grown older the town sees her in a different way. In her old age she is seen as a monument to the past that is never seen outside of her house. All of the respect that her father had earned died with the old men and women of the town. In the story, we see how past events affect the life of the main character Miss Emily, especially her inability to accept change. Throughout the story Miss Emily goes to extreme measures to protect her social status. Miss Emily lives in the past to shield herself from a future that holds no promises and no guarantees. William Faulkner illustrates Miss Emily's inability to accept change through the physical, social and historical settings, all of which are intimately related to the Grierson house. The Grierson house is a physical reminder of Miss Emily's reluctance to change. The "big squarish frame house that had once been white, decorated with cupolas and scrolled balconies in the heavenly lightsome style of the seventies (236)" was located on one of the most prominent and prestigious

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