Fictional Analysis Of A Rose For Emily

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Finding the Meanings Behind “A Rose for Emily” In William Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily”, (rpt. in Thomas R. Arp and Greg Johnson, Perrine’s Literature: Structure, Sound, and Sense, 11th ed. [Boston: Wadsworth, 2012] 242-250) the literary element of symbolism is abundantly distributed. Throughout the story, the townspeople describe Miss Emily’s unusual nature and unwillingness to change by clinging to the past. Miss Emily’s house, the pocket watch, and the word “rose”, are just a small number of symbols from the story. William Faulkner utilizes a variety of symbols to reflect on the character of Miss Emily Grierson. The symbols within this southern gothic piece of literature give deep and underlying insight to various aspects of Miss Emily’s life. The descriptions of her house during the story portray Miss Emily on many different occasions. The house in which she lives in was once upon the select street of the town, but eventually it becomes constantly neglected and unappreciated. The “stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and the gasoline pump” (542) is a visible reminder of Miss Emily’s unrelenting attitude to submit herself to change, such as denying father’s death and not paying taxes. The house also symbolizes her physical and emotional disintegration, as well as becoming alienated from the town for a decade. When the Board of Aldermen confronts Miss Emily about her taxes, it is noticed that there is a thin gold chain buried in the folds of her clothing. There is a silence among the room and that is when “they could hear the invisible watch ticking at the end of the gold chain” (544). Because of time taking all she desired in life, her happiness eventually vanishes. Although the rose only appears directly in the title, it is the most prominent symbol of all. While a rose is given to show love and affection, Miss

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