A Rose For Emily A Closer Look

A Rose For Emily? A Closer Look Essay, Research Paper 12/2/97 period 1 William Faulkner?s ?A Rose for Emily? tells the story of a young woman who is violated by her father?s strict mentality. After being the only man in her life Emily?s father dies and she finds it hard to let go. Emily was raised in the ante-bellum period before the Civil War. This story takes place in the Reconstruction Era after the war when the North takes control of the South. Like her father Miss Emily possesses a stubborn outlook towards life, she refuses to change. This short story explains Emily, her mystified ways and the townsfolk?s sympathetic curiosity. The plot of the story is mainly about Miss Emily?s attitude about change. ?On the first of the year they mailed her a tax notice. Febuary came

and there was no reply. They wrote her a formal letter asking her to call at the sheriff?s office at her convenience. A week later the mayor wrote her himself, offering to call or to send his car for her, and received in reply a note on paper of an archaic shape, in a thin flowing calligraphy in faded ink , to the effect that she no longer went out at all. The tax notice was also enclosed, without comment,? (40-41). Miss Emily was convinced that she had no taxes in Jefferson because before the Civil War the South didn?t have to pay. This change occurred when the North took over the South. ?After her father?s death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people hardly saw her at all,? (41). Miss Emily might have stayed out of the public eye after these two deaths

because she was finally alone, something she in her petty life was not used to. Emily?s father never let her alone and when he died Homer Barron was a treat that she was never allowed to have. Miss Emily?s stubborn attitude definitely came from her father?s strict teachings. The characters of this story are very briefly mentioned, Miss Emily and Mr. Homer Barron are the two main characters described. Miss Emily was described as a short, fat, aged, and mysterious woman. Miss Emily had been through much and has seen many generations grow before and around her. This brings reason to her strong Confederate beliefs. Homer on the other hand was quite the opposite, ?A Yankee–a big, dark, ready man, with a big voice and eyes lighter than his face,? (43). Homer described himself as a

man who couldn?t be tied down. This had to be a terrible opposition for Miss Emily. Towards the end of the story Emily seems to prove him wrong. The setting of this passage is highly essential because it defines Miss Emily?s tight grasp of ante-bellum ways. This story takes place throughout the Reconstruction Era from the late 1800s to the early 1900s in Jefferson, Mississippi. Jefferson was just one of the many Southern towns which was reformed by Northern reconstruction. The Confederate economy quickly deteriorated without free labor to aid in their farms and plantations. Miss Emily refused to allow modern change into her desolate life. For example she refused to let the newer generation fasten metal numbers above her door and attach a mailbox when Jefferson got free mail

service. This reflects Miss Emily?s unyielding persona caused by her father?s treatment when she was young. When Miss Emily?s death occurred the newer Jefferson generations were left without an ante-bellum perspective. ?A Rose for Miss Emily? is told through the eyes of the townspeople which is an example of limited omniscient; a narrator inside the work telling the story. Faulkner expressed a lot of the resident?s opinions towards Emily and her family?s history. They mention old lady Wyatt, her great aunt who had gone completely mad. These opinions seem to come from female members of the town because they have a nosy approach. ?At first we were glad Miss Emily would have an interest, because the ladies all said, ?Of course a Grierson would not think seriously of a Northerner, a