A Rose For Emily Symbolism

William Faulkner’s American gothic tale, A Rose for Emily, is clearly a product of its time and suggests to readers that the transition between past and present is indeed difficult but not impossible. The author utilizes literary devices to connect a practically symbolic relationship to the setting. Indeed, these powerful images encapsulated in the story provide substance to the characters and help to drive the plot. With the strict importance of the narrative that implies a wide range of conclusions, it is essentially the metaphors, symbols and repetitions which give the story meaning.
Miss Emily was often referred to as a ‘fallen monument’ (437), a metaphor to describe her as a symbol of antebellum times. She is the most important character,
so much so that she was highly regarded and deeply respected that even the men felt her passing was like a monument falling. Faulkner also contrasts her previous wonder and her later offensiveness in order to add to the depth of Emily’s character. She was described as a landmark; a perfect example of past qualities however fallen in light of the fact that she had exhibited herself as a subject to death and rot.
Throughout the story, the people know how Emily connected to and felt about “[T]he house” (439). It symbolizes her persistent hold on a vanished past, a present from her late father, and her home. The house itself represented Emily’s nature: “It was a big, squarish frame house that had once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies, set on what had once been our most select street” (437). The house also mirrored how Emily’s beauty, wealthy background and expensive taste eventually faded.
In addition, the house also symbolizes Emily and her character —a charm that disappeared along with her father— “Miss Emily a slender figure in white” (439). Emily was once a pure woman, her father was protective of her just as they protected the house. He thought that no man was good enough for her. Similarly, no man besides him entered the house while he was alive except for the cook and gardener who obviously did not try to seduce her. The house was initially pure but after some time the house becomes grimy, rancid and foul just like Emily’s physical and emotional body.
Another case of symbolism is evident where the protagonist states “I want some poison”(440).
Miss Emily wants to acquire arsenic to murder Homer Barron because he is not going to wed her. This fragment of the story exhibits how Emily turned out to be so egotistical and dangerous that she would end somebody's life so he couldn't flee from her and she could 'keep him' until the end of time. The poison symbolizes, as well, Emily’s manners; she is a discrete woman —well carried by her feelings. “Alive, Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town” (437). Emily symbolizes the people and the town in that time. She was becoming old, so was the town which made it clear that no one wanted to
change.
The town eventually describes and sees Emily as “[P]oor Emily” (440). The term became repeatedly used since her dad passed away which made it her epithet. “When her father died, it got about that the house was all that was left to her; and in a way, people were glad. At last they could pity Miss Emily. Being left alone, and a pauper, she had become humanized. Now she too would know the old thrill and the old despair of a penny more or less” (439).The people in town did not begrudge her looks and money any longer, they somehow felt sorry about her since she was by herself and the years were becoming a heavy weight on her shoulders (and her face). “So the next day we all said, “She will kill herself”; and we said it would be the best thing” (440). The villagers were clearly mistaken when they thought she was attempting to murder herself with the toxin. In reality, she was using the poison to kill her kill Homer as she would not like to be separated from the man that she loved. Everyone in town felt sorry for “[P]oor Emily” (441).
The primary idea within this story involves the conflict between tradition and change or past and future.
The author utilizes literary devices in order to emphasize and illustrate this dichotomy. Faulkner’s use of imagery to connect Emily with her house adds depth to Emily’s character and Faulkner effectively portrayed Emily as an illustration of how individuals are frightened of transition. He also demonstrates through literary devices how humans attempt to abstain from managing death as evidenced by Emily’s actions. Miss Emily, a lost cause —lives in a world made by her own particular personality only to eventually fade away just like old traditions and thereby making her a “fallen monument”
(437).