A rose for emily

“A Rose for Emily” is a short story by William Faulkner, which is about a wealthy, lonely white woman, Emily, living in a post civil war town in the south. Throughout the story the town, Jefferson, is changing to welcome new technology and advances. Faulkner addresses the themes of progress and change in the south. A few things in the story remained the same; one of those things being Emily. They represent the true south. Faulkner wanted the south to preserve their traditions. But change was coming. A theme for “A Rose for Emily” was change and a symbol of change was Homer Barron. Not only a symbol of change but also a symbol of the north, and those southerners hated the north, especially after the civil war. Homer was a Yankee, a northerner, and he was making the town more industrial. He was bringing sidewalks to Jefferson. Emily and Homer had a relationship. While Emily wanted marriage and would often buy him things, Homer wanted out. Emily, fearing to be alone, bought the strongest rat poison and killed him. Even with Homer out of the picture, the south continued to change. Jefferson was about to be able to receive free mail service. The workers were hammering the numbers on Emily’s door but she refused them and their services. The town allowed her to do as she pleases. Early on in the story, she was asked to pay taxes. She said “ I have no taxes in Jefferson” and after that the town didn’t bother again about it. When she bought the poison, the druggist said, “if that’s what you want. But the law requires you to tell what you are going to use it for.” Emily just stared at him, eye to eye until he gave it up. Why did everyone in town allow her to do these things? They see her as a symbol of the past, before the industrialization. They wish they could be like Emily and not have to keep up with the times because that’s what they wanted, to be the south not the north. When Emily fell for Homer, the town felt threatened that their icon was about to be