Emily Dialectical Journal Analysis
Prompt 1.1: “Iron gray hair” Emily's iron- gray hair has chronological significance in the story. First, the hair belongs to Emily, who had sometime slept on the bed beside Homer Baron's dead body, near where it was found. This term “Iron-Gray” had only lied within passage 4 in paragraph 6 when the narrator describes changes in appearance of Emily: “During the next few years, it grew grayer and grayer until it attained an even pepper-and-salt iron- gray, when it ceased turning”(Faulkner, 4.6) this happened during the period of 6 or 7 years when she gave out china-painting lessons after Homer disappeared. Second, the phrase “Iron- gray hair” has connotations that can be applied to the story. The word: “Iron” could mean stubborn, or iron willed. Stubborn is definitely a describing word for Emily. The group of narrators describes a time when Emily came to pick up a bottle of Arsenic from the general store: “Why, of course”, the druggist said, “if
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that is what you want,”, “but the law requires that you tell us what your going to use it for.” Miss Emily just stared back at him, her head tilted back in order to look at him eye for eye, until he looked away, and went and got arsenic and wrapped it up.”(Faulkner,3.41) Emily also refused to let her household be searched by the narrators.
The narrators explain how their search of Emily's house went: ““But miss Emily-” “see colonial Sartoris.” “I have no taxes in Jefferson. Tobe!” the negro appeared, “Show these gentlemen out.”(Faulkner, 1.14) Emily prevented her interview by kicking the colonial Sartoris out While Emily refused to let her home be searched by the author. word “Gray” has connotations regarding age, and is associated with gray hair, a symbol for age. Third, The Phrase Iron gray hair” refers to a change in Emily's appearance that has plot significance. To explain, Emily's hair turned gray right after she had killed her Husband, Homer Barron. It could be caused by the stress she underwent when Homer died. And it parallels the deteriorating state of Homer Barron. The narrator describes Emily's hair color: “Up to the day of her day of her death at 74, it was still vigorous iron-gray, like the hair of an active man.” although the author write this, he was not saying that she was anything like an old man. This hair that
she had turned Grey in her 40s.
that is what you want,”, “but the law requires that you tell us what your going to use it for.” Miss Emily just stared back at him, her head tilted back in order to look at him eye for eye, until he looked away, and went and got arsenic and wrapped it up.”(Faulkner,3.41) Emily also refused to let her household be searched by the narrators.
The narrators explain how their search of Emily's house went: ““But miss Emily-” “see colonial Sartoris.” “I have no taxes in Jefferson. Tobe!” the negro appeared, “Show these gentlemen out.”(Faulkner, 1.14) Emily prevented her interview by kicking the colonial Sartoris out While Emily refused to let her home be searched by the author. word “Gray” has connotations regarding age, and is associated with gray hair, a symbol for age. Third, The Phrase Iron gray hair” refers to a change in Emily's appearance that has plot significance. To explain, Emily's hair turned gray right after she had killed her Husband, Homer Barron. It could be caused by the stress she underwent when Homer died. And it parallels the deteriorating state of Homer Barron. The narrator describes Emily's hair color: “Up to the day of her day of her death at 74, it was still vigorous iron-gray, like the hair of an active man.” although the author write this, he was not saying that she was anything like an old man. This hair that
she had turned Grey in her 40s.