Comparison/Contrast of Faulkner and a Rose for Emily
Law, Family, or Abandonment
A great American writer was born on September 25, 1897. William Falkner was the oldest of four boys who lived in northern Oxford, Mississippi. Falkner refers to the town as, “a little postage stamp of native soil.” Falkner first became interested in poetry in his early teens. Falkner enjoyed playing football until he suffered a broken nose. Falkner failed at many aspects in his life; he dropped out of high school after receiving a “D” in English shortly before graduation. He tried to enlist in the army but was rejected because he was too short. He studied at the University of Mississippi, only to leave without a degree. He struggled to hold a job. In 1920, Falkner changed the spelling of his name to Faulkner upon publishing his first book of poetry. Falkner soon married Estelle Oldham Franklin, his childhood sweetheart. Struggling for money Faulkner would travel to and from Hollywood to work on scripts, creating a never ending strain on his family life. Away from home he secretly carried on a series of affairs. In 1946 he won a Nobel Prize for Peace. By then his health was in a traumatic state from hard drinking. His wife’s drug addiction and declining health only added to the gruesome family situation. Faulkner died in 1962 from a horse riding incident. In the New York Times obituary critics stated that “Mr. Faulkner’s writing showed an obsession with murder, rape, incest, suicide, greed and general depravity that did not exist anywhere but in the authors mind.” How true that statement is proven in Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” and “A Rose for Emily.”
Baird 2
In the “Barn,” Sarty struggles with the drama of his father’s criminal life style leaving himself as the protagonist as well as Miss. Emily in the “Rose.” There are so many contrasting differences between Sarty and Emily. Sarty Snope is a ten-year old boy who wears rag and lives in ramshackle. His only dream is to live a loyal life unlike his psychotic father Abner who continually
A great American writer was born on September 25, 1897. William Falkner was the oldest of four boys who lived in northern Oxford, Mississippi. Falkner refers to the town as, “a little postage stamp of native soil.” Falkner first became interested in poetry in his early teens. Falkner enjoyed playing football until he suffered a broken nose. Falkner failed at many aspects in his life; he dropped out of high school after receiving a “D” in English shortly before graduation. He tried to enlist in the army but was rejected because he was too short. He studied at the University of Mississippi, only to leave without a degree. He struggled to hold a job. In 1920, Falkner changed the spelling of his name to Faulkner upon publishing his first book of poetry. Falkner soon married Estelle Oldham Franklin, his childhood sweetheart. Struggling for money Faulkner would travel to and from Hollywood to work on scripts, creating a never ending strain on his family life. Away from home he secretly carried on a series of affairs. In 1946 he won a Nobel Prize for Peace. By then his health was in a traumatic state from hard drinking. His wife’s drug addiction and declining health only added to the gruesome family situation. Faulkner died in 1962 from a horse riding incident. In the New York Times obituary critics stated that “Mr. Faulkner’s writing showed an obsession with murder, rape, incest, suicide, greed and general depravity that did not exist anywhere but in the authors mind.” How true that statement is proven in Faulkner’s “Barn Burning” and “A Rose for Emily.”
Baird 2
In the “Barn,” Sarty struggles with the drama of his father’s criminal life style leaving himself as the protagonist as well as Miss. Emily in the “Rose.” There are so many contrasting differences between Sarty and Emily. Sarty Snope is a ten-year old boy who wears rag and lives in ramshackle. His only dream is to live a loyal life unlike his psychotic father Abner who continually