William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” centers around the lives of townspeople obsessed with a fellow Southern woman who has shut herself out from their community. Although the lineage of Miss Emily Grierson has deep roots in the community, she is anything but a normal citizen. Dominated by a controlling father, whose death leaves Miss Emily very alone, she ostracizes herself from the town by having limited contact with the outside world for the remainder of her life. The community itself does little to coerce Miss Emily out of her forced seclusion. A few routine visits from the townspeople, companionship from Homer Barron, who is found as a skeleton in her house upon her death, and assistance from her house keeper Tobe is the only interaction Miss Emily has with the outside world.
Her family structure is different than any typical Asian American household because her parents don’t communicate with each other. The reason her mother immigrated to the United States, was because her father saved her from a tragedy that happened during the time he was at China. Ying-Ying never said or objected anything from her husband because when she was younger, she grew up with her baby sitter, Amah, telling her to “never ask, only listen” (pg. 70). Throughout Ying-Ying’s life, she never expressed herself and was quiet most of the time, even around her daughter who was the only person she was able to communicate to in the house.
Emily also suffered from a mental illness that would confuse her about date and time. As if she was living in the past and wasn’t aware of the year she was living in. For instance, the board of Aldermen paid a little visit to her house to confront her of not paying her taxes. Emily quoted, “see Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson.” Colonel
Austen used this as a structural device to show the different perspectives of attitudes to marriage from Mary, Georgiana and Sophy. Ironically, Austen used the post script in the story to dedicate the story to her, she says although she is not yet old enough to marry she will one day be able to read it and use the advice. In the Georgian England society marriage was an expectation from women at a young age. This was generally because the man was expected to take a woman and keep her financially stable for their lifetime. Georgian England society was a formal society, men and women were always at tea parties during the day and balls at night.
Your place in society was extremely important and made a huge impact on who you married. Upper and lower classes were not to be mixed and if done so, you were looked down upon. This concept is shown when Lady Bracknell interviews John before allowing her daughter, Gwendolen, to be with him. She has no interest in approving of John until she finds out that he is in fact from a very wealthy background. Wilde also does a good job of mocking the way men and women think of each other.
In the past, her aggressive nature towards suitors for her daughters has been a negative attribute, which is why her daughters are single up until this point. Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley do have certain love interests in this novel. Mr. Bingley is immediately attracted to Jane, the oldest daughter of the Bennets’, however because of her social status, he is pressured by Darcy not pursue a relationship with her. Mr. Darcy’s age, wealth, and good looks make him a very desirable target for most single women, except for his rude attitude and snobbish demeanor towards people of the middle class. A marriage with him would no doubted improve the
In the beginning of both the Fitzgerald’s and the Diver’s relationships Zelda and Nicole are rich socialites. They are captivated by drinking, carousing, and celebrating every occasion. They enjoyed being in the spotlight and reveling in the adoration of their peers. In Tender is the Night “In marrying his rich patient, Nicole Warren, the psychiatrist Dick Diver trades intellectual mastery and manly autonomy for a role of inglorious service to powerful heiresses”(Onderdonk). In trying to be both doctor and therapist Diver ends up struggling to keep up with his wives shopping sprees and erratic behavior.
She goes home everyday and waits by the window with makeup on wanting someone to knock on her door. When she died, nobody came to her funeral and she was buried along with her name. These two pieces of literature relate to each other because Steinbeck’s character, Crooks and Lennon and McCartney’s, Eleanor Rigby go through a lifetime of loneliness and keep on trying to get through it. John Steinbeck’s, Of Mice and Men relates to loneliness because the character Crooks. He lives in a ranch in the middle of nowhere, in a stable, far away from the rest of the workers.
Emily has a house that nobody has been to in over ten years (with exception of her Negro servant). Emily and her father had a deal going with a mayor named Colonel Sartorius that stated she did not have to pay taxes. Years passed, Emily’s father died, and her husband-to-be/sweetheart deserted her shortly after. In the aftermath of these losses, Emily rarely left her house. Her home gave off a horrid smell and the town’s people were not happy that she wasn’t paying taxes.
Although, it is understandable that she doesn’t point out his flaws with all the lies and guilt she has stacked up on her marriage. Assuming that this was the point of having Nora’s husband as a character, he showed the crudeness very discreetly and elegantly. He also emphasizes the fact that women don’t have as much credibility and respect outside of the home, especially at jobs. Men were portrayed as the moneymakers while woman were just the mothers. For example, when Nora’s friend from school was married her husband was in complete control of his business.