Preview

Plot Analysis of a Rose for Emily

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1244 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Plot Analysis of a Rose for Emily
Plot Analysis of “A Rose for Emily, A Silent Shell”
“In this world, nothing is certain but death and taxes.” This quote by Benjamin Franklin is a mirror to Emily’s story as it begins with her death and then the reader is abruptly brought into the tax remission she received after the death of her father. This interesting yet confusing vignette is about a girl named Emily Grierson and her inconsiderate relation with the town, a man she loved, Homer Baron, and her Father. For Readers of Faulkner, it is truly apparent that his stories do not follow the pattern of the conventional beginning to the end of the story. This method of disorderly sequence of events along with the descriptive style tends to lead this story as if we are realistically present in the town. It also keeps the reader attentive for the upcoming rising action present throughout the story. This leaves the reader questioning or predicting the actual outcome, he/she interprets it well after all is being read. It is a southern gothic styled story, a tragic story told by an anonymous narrator that speaks on behalf of the town’s people, but he/she is not related to the protagonist of the story, Emily.
Emily throughout the story is perceived as an object to the reader rather than a character because her side of the story is not personally expressed by her. This type of narration grasps the readers’ level of curiosity as they are not given access into her perception about her life.
In the story, two essential elements of life have been readily repeated throughout; taxes and death .Death being the main theme was not accepted or comprehended by Emily’s mindset.
This story explains the taxes submission issues faced my Emily. The rest of the story revolves around hatred and death in Emily’s chaotic life from which she was once guarded from the rest of the cruel world.
The story begins with the death of Miss Emily; readers are presented to Miss Emily’s fight and struggle, with her antagonist time,

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Rose For Emily

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Emily as “a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town” (part 1…

    • 756 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In “A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner skillfully depicts the changes of Emily, who becomes a victim of the transitional period from the old pre-war society to the new post-war society. The author depicts the process of how an aristocratic lady becomes a killer. The story revolves around the life of a troubled and stubborn woman named Emily. After the death of her father and the disappearance of her lover, Emily becomes increasingly isolated from the society. She persistently lives in her self-made shell so that she can preserve her past and protect herself from the changes of society. By using peculiar factors, overcast atmosphere, and the contrast of desolate and modern life, Faulkner exposes the isolation of a woman trapped in the past, her desire for a happy life, and the degradation of the South after the Civil War.…

    • 1072 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Emily is a lonely, obstinate and abnormal woman. She is hard to accept those who she loved leave her, like her father and the labor. She even killed Homer Barron, kept his body in the room and slept with the body every night—just because Homer Barron didn’t want marry her. By…

    • 639 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    These conflicting concepts serve as a gateway to analyze not just Emily but the narrator as well. A close reading of the text reveals that the narrator feels a sense of guilt…

    • 150 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Emily spent many years away from her family, which made it difficult for her to grow with her family. Every time she returned home she had to adjust to a new aspect of life as well as reconnect with the things that weren’t there when she left. Even with the narrators attempts to reconnect with her daughter things are never the same. The attempts came to late in Emily’s life and now all she can do is hope that Emily can recover for her future. This story really shows how absences in ones life during key moments can really take a toll and not only effect the present but also the…

    • 1976 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    The people of the town noticed the obvious lack of independence in Miss Emily’s life before her father passed. “We remembered all the young men that her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will.” After the death of her father, she was faced with the reality of needing to carry responsibility for her own life. Miss Emily, finally free of her tormentous girlhood, suddenly became able to make choices for herself. Even with questionable acts, this character further demonstrated her independence by taking…

    • 750 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    9. How does the narrator influence our attitudes about Emily as the story progresses? Does our interpretation of the narrator's views change at any point when we do a second (or more) reading of the story?…

    • 317 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    7. What does the title of the story suggest about the townspeople’s feelings toward Miss Emily? Why do they feel this way about her? (Or: What does she represent to them?) Is there anything ironic about their feelings?…

    • 1335 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The story of Emily starts off with her death. The townspeople go through the story of her life the way they see it. They all know the story of her father’s death and how she reacted very negatively to it. She refused to acknowledge the fact that her father was dead at first. Her father has always been a very important figure in her life.…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Her father, her lovers, and the townspeople make her the reclusive, creepy killer that she is. The solution to every problem in her life is death, which is about the only noticeable change in “A Rose for Emily.” Although the townspeople’s biased perspective can affect the reader’s understanding of Emily, they may be correct in their diagnosis of insanity. The setting and time-period she lives in are also very important. Her home reflects her character: aged, faded, and part of history. The time period is an interesting factor, because it requires one to consider the gender roles of the late nineteenth century. Overall, Emily Grierson faces serious conflicts that could have bettered her character, but instead, she morphs into something eerie, unreadable, and dark. Of course, because of the unreliable narration, one can only speculate about her character; one cannot speak with certainty on the matter of Miss…

    • 1207 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    When we first hear of Miss Emily , it is the time of her death and funeral, attended by the whole town of curious men and women. Their attitude and reverence towards Emily sparks our interest, a sort of “ respectful affection for a fallen monument” (30). We begin to ask why was she such an important woman and what has caused such an intrigue in her fellow townspeople. The inquisitiveness of the town becomes our own , and we want to know the whole, complete story of Emily’s life. Beginning the story of Emily’s life with her death gives us an opportunity to wonder what made her such an iconic part of this town and the lives of her neighbors there.…

    • 694 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Upon reflection, Emily appears to achieve a greater wisdom than nearly any of the living. A wisdom that according to the stage manager is only possessed by “saints and poets maybe”. She realizes how special every moment of life is, and she is shocked at how people just let their life fly by. All too often people take things for granted, they become complacent in their everyday life. Emily is struck by the tragedy that she only truly appreciated what she had after it was gone. She sees every second of her life as extraordinarily precious, even a seemingly irrelevant moment. She realizes that the living are so busy with the small things in life that they don’t take the time to appreciate the important things. Looking back, Emily wants nothing but to talk to her…

    • 1039 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    This strange incident hints at Miss Emily's strange relationship with death and her inability to let go—even when life has gone from her loved ones.…

    • 215 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “The Griersons have prospered and built a fine home on the most select street in Jefferson, Mississippi”.In the short story “A Rose for Emily” William Faulkner tells a story of a tragedy about a lady who grows up in a rich and powerful family, and then ends up poor and trapped in her old ways There is more than one cause for Miss Emily’s tragedy.…

    • 624 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    and there was no reply. They wrote her a formal letter asking her to call the…

    • 1316 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics