Rose For Emily Symbolism
What Rose?
A symbol is something that represents or reflects a deeper meaning or concept. We see symbols every singe day. A flag, a peace sign, or even someone showing you there symbolic finger during rush hour traffic are all examples or symbolism. In William Faulkner's "A Rose For Emily", the symbolism he uses is somewhat subtle, however, it is very consistent. Throughout Faulkner's story he symbolizes a house, a painting, and even the story it's self is a symbol.
At the very beginning of the story, when the narrator is describing the house in which Ms Emily lived, we get our first glimpse of symbolism. The way Faulkner describes the house, then and now, actually represents Ms Emily's life. The paint and color of the house represents Ms Emily's conscience. Earlier, the house is clean and white, pure. As time goes on the house becomes decrepit, and sullied, much like Ms Emily's conscience. The "select street" that she lives on in the earlier years, which later becomes infected and surrounded by cotton gins and garages, represents her place in society. While her father was alive, and sometime after he had passed, Ms Emily was considered high class. Suitors were deemed unworthy to claim her. As more and more tragedy strikes her life, people no longer envy, but pity Ms Emily. When Faulkner describes her house as "lifting …show more content…
it's stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton...", he is describing Ms Emily's unyielding personality.
The painting that Faulkner describes of Ms Emily and her father is symbolic of the two's relationship with one another.
Ms Emily's father was very demanding, and very strict. Faulkner symbolizes her father's fierceness by having him grasping a horsewhip in the picture. Her father's back is turned towards her, symbolizing his neglect and lack of attention to his daughter. Ms Emily is dressed in white, representing her innocence, which had not yet been lost at the time of the painting. Her father stands between her and the open front door, as if to keep her from getting out and at the same time not allowing anyone to get in to
her.
The title of the story, "A Rose For Emily", is also symbol. Throughout the entire story there is never once mentioned one single rose. Roses usually represent one of three things, love death, or respect. In the story all three of these ideas are represented simply in the title it's self. In a sense the entire story is a tribute, a homage, to Ms Emily Grierson. The first line in the story states "..our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument..." In this light the title represents a rose of respect for Emily. Her father, Homer, and Emily's own passing away, represent the rose of death. And obviously the skewed love story which occurs between herself and Homer represents the rose of love.
What determines what a symbol means? Perhaps you may say that the authors intent ultimately decides the perception of symbols used. But, it is the reader who decides what a symbol means. The paper you just read, was merely my interpretations and my opinions of the symbols used by Faulkner in "A Rose For Emily." Does that mean the house, the picture, and the title all could represent something else? Absolutely, but it's up to you to decide what it is.
A symbol is something that represents or reflects a deeper meaning or concept. We see symbols every singe day. A flag, a peace sign, or even someone showing you there symbolic finger during rush hour traffic are all examples or symbolism. In William Faulkner's "A Rose For Emily", the symbolism he uses is somewhat subtle, however, it is very consistent. Throughout Faulkner's story he symbolizes a house, a painting, and even the story it's self is a symbol.
At the very beginning of the story, when the narrator is describing the house in which Ms Emily lived, we get our first glimpse of symbolism. The way Faulkner describes the house, then and now, actually represents Ms Emily's life. The paint and color of the house represents Ms Emily's conscience. Earlier, the house is clean and white, pure. As time goes on the house becomes decrepit, and sullied, much like Ms Emily's conscience. The "select street" that she lives on in the earlier years, which later becomes infected and surrounded by cotton gins and garages, represents her place in society. While her father was alive, and sometime after he had passed, Ms Emily was considered high class. Suitors were deemed unworthy to claim her. As more and more tragedy strikes her life, people no longer envy, but pity Ms Emily. When Faulkner describes her house as "lifting …show more content…
it's stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton...", he is describing Ms Emily's unyielding personality.
The painting that Faulkner describes of Ms Emily and her father is symbolic of the two's relationship with one another.
Ms Emily's father was very demanding, and very strict. Faulkner symbolizes her father's fierceness by having him grasping a horsewhip in the picture. Her father's back is turned towards her, symbolizing his neglect and lack of attention to his daughter. Ms Emily is dressed in white, representing her innocence, which had not yet been lost at the time of the painting. Her father stands between her and the open front door, as if to keep her from getting out and at the same time not allowing anyone to get in to
her.
The title of the story, "A Rose For Emily", is also symbol. Throughout the entire story there is never once mentioned one single rose. Roses usually represent one of three things, love death, or respect. In the story all three of these ideas are represented simply in the title it's self. In a sense the entire story is a tribute, a homage, to Ms Emily Grierson. The first line in the story states "..our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen monument..." In this light the title represents a rose of respect for Emily. Her father, Homer, and Emily's own passing away, represent the rose of death. And obviously the skewed love story which occurs between herself and Homer represents the rose of love.
What determines what a symbol means? Perhaps you may say that the authors intent ultimately decides the perception of symbols used. But, it is the reader who decides what a symbol means. The paper you just read, was merely my interpretations and my opinions of the symbols used by Faulkner in "A Rose For Emily." Does that mean the house, the picture, and the title all could represent something else? Absolutely, but it's up to you to decide what it is.