The Voice of Faulkner in A Rose for Emily - 858 Words

The purpose of this essay is to describe and reflect on the vast array of emotions revealed by the tone in the short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner. The obvious tones used in â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a sense of fear, curiosity, gloom and terror along with the more subtle irony, guilt, and complicity and resistance to change. Faulkner’s layout for this story was genius he left elusive clues for the reader with the use of foreshadowing and flashbacks yet the complex chronology added to the mystery and for some added confusion. Falkner manipulates time and stretches the story over several decades in the southern town of Jefferson after the Civil War. The distinctive narrative point of view draws the reader in. The only information divulged about the narrator is that they are a speaker for the town and pass judgment both for and against Emily Grierson. Towards the beginning the narrator is annoyed and influenced by the arrogant and aristocrati c lifestyle Emily lives; the narrator declares† at last they could pity Miss Emily being left alone and a pauper. She had become humanized. Now she too would know the old thrill of the old despair of a penny more or less† (Albcarian et al, 2002, p.652). In the end of the story, the narrator is symbolically giving her a â€Å"rose† by telling her bizarre story with remorse and compassion. The symbolic rose is what makes this story ironic Emily’s life was actually full of thorns. No man tried to court Emily they were never goodShow MoreRelatedThe Mystery of the Rose and the Narrator in A Rose for Emily by Faulkner1182 Words   |  5 PagesWhile one of the most traditional interpretations of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is the variety of meanings for the â€Å"rose† presented in the title and how the â€Å"rose† fits in with the story. Laura Getty states in her article many varied perspectives that many could ponder when identifying what the â€Å"rose† stands for. She states many possible theories that depict what the â€Å"rose† means, including theories of other writers that help support her own theory and also that adds another way that most might not considerRead MoreSymbolism in a Rose for Emily1508 Words   |  7 Pagessignificance to the story. In â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, William Faulkner effectively uses symbolism to illustrate the fading glory of the Old South giving away to the progress of reconstruction and the new century. It also plays a role in understanding the whole meaning of the story and why Emily is a tragic figure as opposed to an evil person. The gray strand of hair found on the pillow next to Homer Barron’s corpse is a symbol that represents lost love and perverse action of Miss Emily. The hair represents MissRead MoreA Closer Look At William Faulkner s A Rose For Emily1384 Words   |  6 PagesA Closer Look at William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† There have been many short stories written about life during the Reconstruction era after the civil war. Some stories, even though they are fictitious, are based upon and often mirror actual events that have taken place. The most relevant stories tell of lives and families that have been separated due to war, and how the remnants were left the task of rebuilding. As towns changed, people were somewhat reluctant to let go of past beliefs and whatRead MoreAn Occurrence At Old Creek Bridge And William Faulkner s A Rose For Emily1210 Words   |  5 PagesFaulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† are good examples of non-linear structure. A non-linear narrative makes readers question why the author cannot present his story in a lucid form? Non-linear structure often makes stories harder to understand, but it keeps readers interested in the story. Bierce and Faulkner uses a similar strategy to present their stories by deceiving the readers to create suspense at the end of the story . Nick Melczarek explains narrative strategy in Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† with theRead MoreComparison and Contrast: A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner and The Cask of Amontillado by Edgar Allan Poe929 Words   |  4 Pageshow William Faulkner and Edgar Allan Poe employ it to achieve distinctly Gothic effects. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† are very different stories set in very different worlds, and the tone of the narration in each is equally different. Nonetheless, the stories both offer strong symbolism, and they each rely on how the short story amplifies the Gothic, or dark, by virtue of brief presentation. Poes â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† and Faulkners â€Å"A Rose for Emily† both employRead MoreA Stream of Consciousness in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner745 Words   |  3 Pagesâ€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a short story written by American author William Faulkner and centres around an old lady named Emily. The story is written in the classic Faulkner method of a streaming consciousness. By constructing the story through use of the stream of consciousness, Faulkner is able to manipulate the predetermined short story structure and create an outstanding, critically acclaimed story. In using the thematic concept of creating contrasts between two opposing entities, Faulkner is ableRead MoreWhat We Are Who We Should Be: Literary Realism1132 Words   |  5 Pagesand William Faulkner strived to expose their readers to defects, either internal or external. Their literature puts humanity under the microscope, and allows the reader to examine their daily life f rom a safe distance. Under examination, many shortcomings can be uncovered. Occasionally, an author will not only reveal these flaws, but provide a practical solution. More often than not though, realists will leave it up to their reader to formulate a cure. In A Rose for Emily, Faulkner looks back onRead MoreWilliam Faulkner s A Rose For Emily1076 Words   |  5 PagesThe stylistic writing devices, vocabulary, and narrative voice utilized by William Faulkner in this excerpt of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† provide insight into the communal perspective held by the townsfolk toward outsiders, as well as those who live amongst them – specifically Miss Emily. When examining the story in its entirety, this excerpt serves to demonstrate the condescending, gossipy nature of the townspeople, and the idea that Miss Emily’s affairs concern the whole town. The incorporation of stylisticRead MoreAuthor of A Rose for Emily, William Faulkners Nobel Prize Essay707 Words   |  3 PagesAll I have to say about A Rose for Emily is that she was a crazy person! Faulkner is a really worthy and famous writer that has a lot to say in his writings and I think that he accomplishes that when he writes. â€Å"On December 10, he delivered his ac ceptance speech to the academy in a voice so low and rapid that few could make out what he was saying, but when his words were published in the newspaper the following day, it was recognized for its brilliance; in later years, Faulkner’s speech would beRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1507 Words   |  7 PagesWilliam Cuthbert Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi. He stands as one of the most preeminent American writers of the twentieth century. His literary reputation included poetry, novels, short stories, and screenplays. Faulkner won two Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction and the Nobel Prize in Literature. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a short fascinating story written by William Faulkner and it was his first short story published in a national magazine. The story involved an old woman named Emily Grierson, the