Symbolism of Life Story in “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner

A Rose for Emily is a short story written by William Faulkner that is acknowledged as one of the primary examples of Southern gothic literature. The story explores the life story of a lonely Southern woman whose life remained a mystery to the locals until the day of her death. While the story focuses on a seemingly realistic and dark story, there is deep symbolism hidden in the story.

The story features a wide range of themes, from love and attachment to death and human unwillingness to accept life changes. Thus, the plot tells about the life of a woman from a wealthy family named Emily, who lived all her life under the supervision of her father. When Emily’s father died, for a long time, she did not agree to give his body for burial. The locals linked Emily’s actions to the negative effects of loss and did not attach much importance to them. When Emily died, the locals found the corpse of a man in her bedroom, decorated as a room for the newlyweds. Eventually, it turned out that Emily poisoned a man she was in a relationship with after he refused to marry her and continued to live with his corpse in her bed.

The story reflects the state of the previously prosperous South after the Civil war. Thus, Emily’s death is described as a “fallen monument” of the former wealth of Southern aristocracy (Faulkner, 1990, p.1). The text describes that in her final years, Emily did not accept the new government and confused the new Colonel with an old one who “had been dead almost ten years” (Faulkner, 1990, p.1). Thus, the author emphasizes how Emily’s character symbolizes something more than an ordinary person.

Furthermore, Emily’s unrealistic desire to preserve the remains of loved ones symbolizes the South’s unwillingness to deviate from old traditions. The author explains that Emily had “no trace of grief on her face” when her father died (Faulkner, 1990, p.3). Moreover, when the ministers and doctors confronted Emily, she was «dressed as usual,” which signals Emily’s total rejection of loss (Faulkner, 1990, p.3). Thus, Emily’s inhuman ability to reject reality demonstrates that the author wanted to convey a deeper message. Therefore, while A Rose for Emily explores the life story of the lonely and mysterious woman, the story symbolizes the South’s failure to accept the changes after Civil War.

Reference

Faulkner, W. (1990). A Rose for Emily. Perfection Learning.

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