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Analysis of William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on June 12, 2021

Initially published in Forum on April 30, 1930, and collected in These Thirteen in 1931, “A Rose for Emily” remains one of William Faulkner’s most read, most anthologized, and most significant stories. From every imaginable perspective, critics have scrutinized the components of Faulkner’s literary technique: The story has been viewed as an allegory of southern history, a metaphorical depiction of NorthSouth relationships, feminist nightmare or feminist victory, a gothic horror story, a sociological portrayal of individualism squelched or individualism triumphant, a bleak fictional tale of determinism. Faulkner’s uses of structure, tone, point of view, and imagery play key roles in his depiction of Miss Emily Grierson. The fact that readers and critics still engage in interpretive debates over its meaning merely ensures that it will continue to be read.

Told from the perspective of Jefferson, in Yoknapatawpha County, in a narrative voice that consistently relates the details that “we”—the smug and gossipy townspeople of Jefferson—have observed, the story is intriguing on the level of plot and character alone: Miss Emily has just died, and we learn that she lived alone after her father died and Homer Baron, her Yankee lover, apparently abandoned her. Suspense continues to build when we learn that a mysterious odor emanated from her house at the time that Homer disappeared. Faulkner employs a number of clues to foreshadow both denouement and motivation, including the “tableau” of the imperious father with a horsewhip overshadowing his white-clad young daughter Emily; the portrait of her father that Emily displays at his death, despite his thwarting of her natural youthful desires; her defiant public appearances with the unsuitable Homer Baron; her sense of entitlement; and the arsenic she buys to rid her house of “rats.” Despite these and other devices, however, new generations of readers still react in horror when Emily’s secret is revealed: She not only murdered her lover but slept with his corpse in the attic bridal chamber she carefully prepared.

If Miss Emily is crazy (and most critics agree that she is), Faulkner implies that she has been made so by the constrictions of a father who refused to let her marry and by the conventions of a society that eagerly filled the void at his death. Numerous critics have suggested that behind the gothic horror of necrophilia and insanity in this classic story, Miss Emily Grierson is the oddly modern hero. Indeed, one critic asserts that we cannot understand any of Faulkner’s heroes if we do not understand Miss Emily, for she is the “prototype” of them all (Strindberg 877). As with other troubled Faulknerian protagonists, death literally frees Miss Emily—from patriarchy, from society’s conventions, from sexual repression, from the class structure she was taught to revere, from the useless existence of privileged women of her era, even from the burdens of southern history and slavery: With her death, her black servant, mysteriously complicit in his relation to Miss Emily, walks out of her house at the end of the story. In an interview at the University of Virginia, Faulkner suggested that Miss Emily deserved a rose for all the torment she had endured, and, whatever else they feel, most readers appear to agree with this sentiment.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Blotner, Joseph. Faulkner: A Biography. 2 Vols. New York: Random House, 1974. Rev. ed., New York: Random House, 1984. Carothers, James. Faulkner’s Short Stories. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1985. Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” In Collected Short Stories. New York: Random House, 1940. Ferguson, James. Faulkner’s Short Fiction. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1991. Strindberg, Victor. “A Rose for Emily.” In Reader’s Guide to Short Fiction, edited by Noelle Watson, 577. Detroit: St. James Press, 1993.

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A Rose for Emily

William faulkner, everything you need for every book you read..

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

A Rose for Emily: Introduction

A rose for emily: plot summary, a rose for emily: detailed summary & analysis, a rose for emily: themes, a rose for emily: quotes, a rose for emily: characters, a rose for emily: symbols, a rose for emily: theme wheel, brief biography of william faulkner.

Historical Context of A Rose for Emily

Other books related to a rose for emily.

• Full Title: “A Rose for Emily”
• Where Written: Oxford, Mississippi
• When Published: April 30, 1930
• Literary Period: American Modernism
• Genre: Southern Gothic
• Setting: The fictional town of Jefferson, Mississippi, located in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, where many of Faulkner’s works are set
• Climax: The townspeople’s discovery that Miss Emily murdered Homer Barron and lived with his corpse
• Antagonist: Southern society’s paralyzing nostalgia for a glorified past, as well as its rigid customs and conventions
• Point of View: First-person plural (“we”) limited

Extra Credit for A Rose for Emily

A Rose for the Title. Readers will notice that, though the story is entitled “A Rose for Emily,” Emily never receives a rose. Faulkner explained in an interview: “Oh, that was an allegorical title: the meaning was, here was a woman who had had a tragedy, an irrevocable tragedy and nothing could be done about it. And I pitied her and this was a salute. Just as if you were to make a gesture, a salute to anyone: to a woman you would hand a rose.”

A Family Legacy. Colonel Sartoris, a minor character in “A Rose for Emily,” appears in other works by Faulkner, including the novels Flags in the Dust and The Unvanquished ; he is modeled on Faulkner’s own great-grandfather, William Clark Falkner, a Confederate colonel in the Civil War, a businessman, and an author.

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A CRITICAL AND EXPLANATORY ANALYSIS OF WILLIAM FAULKNER'S "A ROSE FOR EMILY"

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In William Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury (1929), Caddy Compson moves outside the borders of language and resides in silence. In “Hearing Caddy’s Voice” (1990), Minrose Gwin admits that despite her disbelief in Caddy’s silence, she does not fully understand what she is saying, for “she is something more than we can say” (36). Likewise, in her single monologue, in As I Lay Dying (1930), Addie Bundren reveals a skeptical stand point about language, stating that “words are no good. [. . .] Words don’t even fit what they are trying to say at” (159-60) and dreaming of “the dark land talking the voiceless speech” (163). Caddy’s and Addie’s silence is indeed an experience that crosses the confines of a masculine-biased linguistic system and that can arguably be read in Sociocultural feminist theories question ethnocentric assumptions which privilege voice as the only medium of intelligible communication and try to draw attention to the silences spoken words are preloaded with. Tillie Oslen’s ‘natural silences’, Adrienne Rich’s conception of silence as a ‘historic presence’, bell hook’s silence as a ‘talking back’ process, Suzan Gubar’s and Sandra Gilbert’s ‘exclusionary silence’ and ‘palimpsest’ stories, Elaine Showalter’s ‘silent plots’, highlight silence as a border crossing medium of expression that overcomes the confines of a patriarchal language and celebrates ‘female zones of experience’. Overcoming the borders of a dominant language and moving toward silence, Caddy’s as well as Addie’s act can readily be reiterated in Julia Kriesteva’s notion of the semiotic being ‘unspeakable’ and ‘unavailable to conscious verbalization’ and Hélène Cixous’s feminine voice that “can only keep going without ever inscribing or discerning contours” (Cixous 89). Similarly, the women’s silence may be read in Luce Irigaray’s language of their own that “asserts women’s difference and names her identity as not-man” (Roberts 15) and Monique Wittig’s ‘pre-gendered’ new expressive identity that ‘crosses back’ toward the mirror stage as a way of articulating the multiplicity of female desire. The present paper reads the matriarch’s movement from the speakable to the unspeakable in Faulkner’s texts and studies the motives of this mobility with reference to sociocultural and psychoanalytical feminist theories. Keywords: Myth, politics, poetics, postmodernism, centre, intertextuality, linguistic experimentation.

European Journal of Research and Reflection in Arts and Humanities

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The present study is aimed at exploring certain psychological aspects in the protagonist of the story. Specifically it deals with the transitional development of the characters that what are the social barriers and restrains, which contributed in the disorderness of Emily. This transitional development in the character is analyzed in the light of Jaques Lacan's theory of psychoanalysis which is further narroweddown to "The mirror stage" and Sigmund Freud's theory of psychoanalysis which is further narrowed down to "Id, Ego and Super Ego" because they deal with the character developments and its relevant aspects. The research is about the stages of the psyche and stages of character presented by the writer in the story which are also further elaborated on the basis of different features in the character of Emily. Furthermore Freud's theory of psychoanalysis provides insight to the mind, psyche and psychosexual stages of the protagonist. Disruption in these elements leads to the disruption in the character's personality that is reflected throughout the story. This research will help in understanding the female character and factors affecting the character from every dimension of life and society.

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Applying a stylistic analysis on certain texts refers to the identification of patterns of usage in writing. However, such an analysis is not restricted just to the description of the formal characteristics of texts, but it also tries to elucidate their functional importance for the interpretation of the text. This paper highlights complexity as a hallmark of a stylistic analysis in "A Rose for Emily", a short story by William Faulkner (1897-1962). The analysis is done by adopting Halliday's (1985) approach to analyzing complexity in sentence structure; and Lauer, et al. (2008) approach to analyzing narrative from a macro perspective in relation to the story acts. The analysis rests upon the assumption that since form conveys meaning, Faulkner's multilayer usage of complexity is extremely functional. This paper tries also to detect and prove that stylistic complexity is manipulated to convey the main themes, events, and successfully lead to identify the distinctive structure of this story.

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William Faulkner: A Rose for Emily. Summary and analysis

Tabla de contenidos, summary of “a rose for emily”..

“A Rose for Emily,” a work by William Faulkner, a prominent author in American literature, initially published in 1930, is a story that delves into the themes of decline, isolation and resistance to change. The story, narrated by an unidentified observer, takes place in a Southern town and centers on the figure of Emily Grierson, a woman who becomes something of an enigma and object of curiosity to the community’s inhabitants.

The story begins with Emily’s death and the town’s inhabitants’ interest in visiting her home, a place closed to the outside world for many years. A series of flashbacks reveals crucial details of Emily’s life and her complex relationship with the town.

Emily, described as a relic of the past, resides in a once stately home, now dilapidated, symbolizing the decay of herself and traditional Southern values. Her father, an authoritative and controlling figure in life, had driven away all of Emily’s suitors, so she was left unmarried after his death. Emily’s refusal to acknowledge her father’s death for three days after his passing is the first indication of her disconnect with reality.

The arrival of Homer Barron, a laborer from the North, introduces a new chapter in Emily’s life. Despite the town’s rumors and skepticism, Emily and Homer seem to develop a relationship. However, Homer mysteriously disappears, and Emily secludes herself in her home, reaffirming her image as a lonely and mysterious figure.

After Emily’s death, the inhabitants discover that Homer’s corpse is lying on a bed in a locked room, along with a lock of gray hair presumed to be Emily’s. This revelation suggests a macabre and haunting connection between Emily and her once furtive lover.

The story explores resistance to change, the impact of rigid social structures and extreme loneliness. The fragmented, non-linear narrative, typical of Faulkner’s style, creates a sense of mystery and depth, allowing the reader to piece together Emily’s story and its meaning gradually. The story also examines the decline of the Old South and certain characters’ inability to adapt to social and temporal changes.

William Faulkner : A Rose for Emily

Cuento completo

Characters and their development throughout the narrative.

In “A Rose for Emily,” Faulkner presents a small but significant set of characters whose development is closely intertwined with the work’s central themes. The narrative is built around Emily Grierson but also includes secondary figures who contribute to the evolution of the plot and deepen the themes Faulkner develops in his story.

Emily Grierson: Emily is the central character of the story. Throughout the narrative, she is shown to transition from being a young girl in a prominent family to becoming a mysterious recluse. After the death of her father, a domineering and controlling being who rejected all her suitors, Emily finds herself alone and isolated. This isolation worsens over time, driving her into a state of denial and delusion, especially evident in her refusal to accept her father’s death and later in her relationship with Homer Barron. Emily is a complex character who represents resistance to change, the influence of the past and oppressive social norms.

Homer Barron: A Northern laborer, represents change and modernity that challenges Southern traditions. His relationship with Emily is viewed with suspicion and disapproval by the townspeople. The relationship never culminates in marriage, and mysteriously, Homer disappears. At the end of the story, it is revealed that this disappearance was caused by Emily, who poisoned him and then kept his body in a room in the old house. The figure of Homer and his ultimate fate are crucial to understanding the depth of Emily’s isolation and disturbance.

Emily’s father: Although dead before most of the events recounted in the story, the influence of Emily’s father is a constant presence. His control over Emily and his rejection of her suitors leave a profound mark on her psyche, contributing to her isolation and eventual imbalance. The father figure symbolizes the social restrictions and gender expectations of the time.

The community: Although not a “character” in the traditional sense, the community plays a vital role in the story. It serves as a Greek chorus, observing and commenting on Emily’s life. The town’s attitude toward Emily reflects the social norms and prejudices of the time. Their curiosity and gossip contribute to the narrative’s tone of mystery and judgment.

The development of these characters takes place through a series of flashbacks and anecdotes, which gradually reveal the complexity of their lives and relationships. Faulkner uses these characters to explore the various themes he develops in the story, creating a narrative fabric in which each character contributes to the plot and the more significant meaning of the story.

The setting of “A Rose for Emily”.

The play is set in a small town in the southern United States, in a time spanning from the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. This context is crucial, reflecting the South’s social and cultural tensions in transition after the Civil War.

Emily Grierson’s house: Emily’s house is a character and critical symbol in the story. Once stately and respected, it becomes a decrepit and decaying structure surrounded by garages and cotton tents. This physical transformation of the house reflects Emily’s physical and emotional deterioration and the decline of the Old South and its values. The house, with its locked rooms and dusty, stagnant atmosphere, is also a crucial setting for the story’s climax and final revelation.

The Southern Town: The town reflects the post-Civil War South, grappling with social and economic changes. The narrative highlights the transitioning from a society based on old honor codes and social hierarchies to a more modern, less stratified one. This change is illustrated in how the town’s characters interact with Emily and her family and how these changes affect their perception of them.

The era: The story spans several decades, allowing Faulkner to explore the impact of time on people and societies. The transition from the 19th century to the 20th century brought significant changes to the South, including attitudes toward class, gender, and the legacy of the Civil War. Emily’s resistance to these changes, symbolized by her house and lifestyle, reflects the tension between the past and the present.

Writing techniques employed by Faulkner in “A Rose for Emily.”

Non-linear and fragmented narrator: Faulkner opts for a non-linear narrative structure, moving back and forth in time. This technique creates a sense of mystery and allows the story to unfold gradually, revealing critical details at strategic moments. The fragmented narrative reflects the theme of decay and chaos, both in Emily’s life and Southern society.

Collective Narrator: The story is narrated by an unnamed narrator who represents the collective perspective of the townspeople. This approach creates distance between Emily and the reader while at the same time providing a panoramic view of how the community views and judges Emily and her family. This technique reinforces the themes of gossip, isolation, and social judgment.

Language: Faulkner is known for his rich and poetic use of language. In “A Rose for Emily,” he employs descriptive language to create a dense and evocative atmosphere. For example, the detailed descriptions of Emily’s house are vital to establishing the somber tone and decay that permeate the story.

Symbolism: The story is loaded with symbolism. Emily’s house, for example, symbolizes the decline of the Old South. At the same time, the rose of the title has been interpreted in various ways, including as a symbol of love and compassion for Emily. These symbols enrich the narrative, providing additional layers of meaning.

Themes and Motifs: Faulkner weaves several themes and motifs throughout the story, including death, the passage of time, and resistance to change. The use of these themes contributes to the depth and complexity of the story, allowing for multiple interpretations.

Character Psychology: Throughout his narrative, Faulkner deeply explores the psychology of his characters, especially Emily. This detailed approach offers intimate insight into their motivations, fears, and desires, which adds significant richness to the narrative.

In “A Rose for Emily,” Faulkner’s narrative style is complex and meticulously crafted. His non-linear approach, coupled with a collective narrator, richly descriptive language, use of symbolism, and in-depth exploration of themes and character psychology, creates a work that not only tells the story of a woman and a people but also offers a meditation on broader themes such as time, change, and memory.

Narrative point of view

Collective Narrator: The use of “we” in the narrative suggests that the narrator is a cooperative witness, representing the opinions, perceptions, and prejudices of the village community. This collective point of view is essential to understanding the relationship between Emily and the surrounding society. The narrator is not an individual but a composite voice reflecting the mindset and attitudes of the community.

Limited perspective: Despite witnessing the events in Emily’s life, the narrators have limited knowledge of her inner thoughts, feelings, and motivations. This limitation reinforces the mystery surrounding Emily and her story, as the reader only receives the information filtered through the perspective of the community’s inhabitants.

Implications of judgment and prejudice: By telling the story from the townspeople’s point of view, Faulkner allows the prejudices and judgments of the community to become part of the narrative. How the townspeople talk about Emily and her family reveals their social norms, expectations, and attitudes toward change and decay.

Distancing from the main character: Through this point of view, Emily is presented as an object of fascination and speculation, but she is always kept at an emotional distance from the reader. This distancing intensifies the aura of isolation and mystery surrounding her character.

Reliability of the narrator: The collective narrator in “A Rose for Emily” is unreliable. His account is tinged by gossip and community perceptions, which can lead to biased interpretations of events. This aspect adds a layer of complexity to the story, as the reader must discern reality from the narrator’s perceptions and biases.

Main themes addressed in the story

Isolation and loneliness: Emily Grierson is a profoundly isolated character, both physically and emotionally. This isolation is exacerbated by the death of her father and her inability to form meaningful relationships with others. Emily’s loneliness reflects her internal struggle and disconnection from the outside world.

Resistance to change: Resistance to change is a central theme in the story. Emily symbolizes it, clinging to traditions and ways of life. Her refusal to accept the death of her father and her relationship with Homer Barron are examples of her refusal to accept reality and adapt to change.

Decay: The story explores decay in the physical sense, with Emily’s house, and in the social and moral sense. The decay of Emily’s house parallels her own physical and mental deterioration and the decline of the traditions and values of the Old South.

Death: Death is a constant presence in the story, from the death of Emily’s father to her death and the revelation of Homer Barron’s corpse. Death is used to explore themes of loss, fear of loneliness, and the psychological impact of mortality.

Social Classes and Gender: The story addresses class differences and gender expectations in the South during the post-Civil War period. Emily, belonging to a family of high social standing, faces specific expectations due to her gender and class. Her relationship with Homer Barron, who represents a different social class and culture, challenges these norms.

Madness and obsession: Emily’s story also explores madness and obsession. Her behavior towards her dead father and Homer Barron suggests a disturbed mind, unable to accept reality and obsessed with maintaining control over her loved ones, even in death.

Tradition vs. modernity: The story reflects the conflict between the traditions of the Old South and the arrival of modernity. This theme is seen in Emily’s resistance to the new generations and how the community perceives her home and behavior.

Historical and cultural context

Published in 1930, the story is set in a small town in the southern United States and spans the late nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. This context reflects several significant social and cultural dynamics:

Post-American Civil War: The story is set in the South after the American Civil War. This era was one of significant social and economic change. The abolition of slavery and the defeat of the South led to a change in traditional social structures. This period was also marked by a struggle for reconstruction and the redefinition of Southern identity.

Reconstruction and resentment: The Reconstruction period saw attempts to integrate the defeated Southern states into the Union and to establish civil rights for formerly enslaved people. However, there was also strong resentment among many Southerners over these transformations, leading to racial and social tensions.

Decline of the Old South: Faulkner presents the Old South through Emily’s house and lifestyle. The physical decay of the house symbolizes the decay of a way of life and a set of values. The story captures the loss and nostalgia for an era that is disappearing.

Change vs. tradition: The South is transitioning, struggling between maintaining traditions and adapting to new changes. This is reflected in Emily’s resistance to accepting change in her life and her community.

Gender roles and social class: During this period, gender expectations and roles were firmly entrenched. As a woman from a high-status family, Emily faces specific pressures. Her isolation and defiant behavior can also be seen as a reaction to these restrictions.

Southern culture: Faulkner, a native of the American South, infuses the story with an intimate understanding of Southern culture. The importance of family reputation, honor, and community perceptions are central elements in the tale.

Conclusions or lessons to be drawn from the story.

Rather than offering direct conclusions or lessons, “A Rose for Emily” invites reflection on several critical aspects of human nature and society.

Impact of social isolation: The story illustrates how extreme isolation and lack of social interaction can lead to disorientation and madness. Emily Grierson, isolated first by her father and then by her own choices, shows how a lack of social connection can lead to destructive behavior and a distorted perception of reality.

Resistance to change and its consequences: The story reflects the struggle between change and tradition. Emily becomes a symbol of resistance to change, which ultimately leads to her ruin. This highlights that clinging to the past can impede personal growth and adaptation to new realities.

Effects of oppression and control: The oppressive influence of Emily’s father and the social expectations of the time illustrate how oppression and control can warp a person’s psyche. This suggests a critique of restrictive social structures and the imposition of rules that limit individual freedom.

Decay and death as universals: The story addresses the inevitability of decay and death in physical and symbolic terms. Emily’s story and the decay of her house are metaphors for mortality and the inevitable passage of time, universal themes in the human experience.

Reflection on social norms: The play also critiques social norms and how the community judges and labels individuals. The story questions the role of hearsay and community perceptions in shaping a person’s identity and reputation.

The importance of understanding and empathy: Although Emily is a tragic figure, the story invites readers to understand and empathize with her situation. This suggests a lesson about the importance of seeking to understand the struggles and contexts of others before judging them.

In conclusion, “A Rose for Emily” does not offer direct or explicit moral lessons; instead, it provides fertile ground for meditation on complex issues such as isolation, change, oppression, and the nature of society. Faulkner uses Emily’s story to explore these themes in a way that invites readers to reflect deeply on their meaning and relevance in the larger world.

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The Symbolism of ‘A Rose for Emily’ Explained

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘A Rose for Emily’ is one of the most widely studied American short stories of the twentieth century, but the subtle narrative style and William Faulkner’s use of symbolism are often difficult to interpret. Starting with the ‘rose’ in the story’s title, the text is rich with symbols whose significance can only be determined through careful analysis.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the most prominent symbols and images in ‘A Rose for Emily’ and explore how – and why – Faulkner uses them in his short masterpiece of Southern Gothic literature.

Emily’s House.

The narrator of ‘A Rose for Emily’ tells us that Miss Emily’s house was the only old house left in the street, and that ‘garages and cotton gins’ had sprung up and replaced the other houses that had once stood alongside Emily’s dwelling.

Emily’s house, then, symbolises the Old South, which is (literally) decaying and dying out. And replacing the pastoral homeliness of the old, post-war South is the new industrial America: cotton and gasoline are now the way the townspeople make their money. The new industrial South is replacing the older, simpler bucolic South.

The Locked Room.

But it is worth remembering that ‘A Rose for Emily’ is, at bottom, a Gothic story: an example of the subgenre known as Southern Gothic literature, which is associated with writers like Flannery O’Connor, Tennessee Williams, Carson McCullers, and Faulkner himself.

And if Emily’s house symbolises a kind of modern, urban equivalent to the secluded Gothic castle in classic Gothic horror novels, then the locked room in the house’s attic is a kind of inversion of the crypt harbouring a dark secret beneath the castle. The room does indeed contain a terrible secret which will only be revealed at the end of the story, once Emily herself is dead and the townsfolk can gain access to the house.

But as well as being a narrative device, the locked room is also another symbol for Miss Emily’s determination to cling to the past (of which more below). She sets up the room as a bridal chamber for a wedding that will never take place, and then keeps her would-be groom – or his corpse, at any rate – inside the room, a symbol of her reluctance to let go of her romantic bond with him.

Emily Herself.

Miss Emily Grierson is herself a symbol of this faded glory of the South: a land that had been defeated militarily in the Civil War and whose old ways were being ousted by the new, industrial, mechanical age (those cotton wagons and garages selling gasoline for motorcars).

At the beginning of ‘A Rose for Emily’, the narrator describes her as a ‘monument’ for whom the men of the town have a kind of ‘respectful affection’. She has endured in the town during a time when many new generations have grown up and taken over the running of Jefferson. She remains largely unchanged; her death symbolises the death of another piece of that old world.

Why does Faulkner title his story ‘A Rose for Emily’? No roses appear in the story itself, although the attic room which features at the end of the story, the would-be bridal chamber in which Homer Barron’s body rots, is described as having valance curtains of a faded rose colour and rose-shaded lights.

Note that the curtains are ‘a faded rose colour’, not only because they have been in the attic room for decades (since Emily planned to marry, and then ended up murdering, Homer), but because they symbolise the faded dreams of sexual fulfilment and marital love which Emily, through her engagement to Homer Barron, had entertained.

But these rose-coloured details convey more than Emily’s thwarted sense of womanhood and romantic love.

William Faulkner himself provided us with a clue, and suggested, in an interview he gave at the University of Virginia, that Emily deserved to be given a rose as a ‘gesture’ or ‘salute’ because of all of the torment she had endured: at the hands of her father, perhaps at the hands of Homer as well, and as a result of the townsfolk treating her like an outsider. A rose is a decidedly romantic gift, one which a man might give to a lady as a mark of admiration or respect.

Indeed, roses are rich in symbolism : they are associated with love and romance, but also with an overly romantic view of the past, as in the phrase ‘rose-tinted spectacles’. ‘A Rose for Emily’ is a story about a woman who is, in a sense, trapped in the past: she is reluctant to give up the dead body of her father when he dies, and she is unwilling to let Homer leave her, being prepared to kill him in order to keep him in her life.

For the next few decades, she keeps him in the attic chamber so she can, in effect, arrest the passage of time and keep him close to her.

So the ‘rose’ for Emily also symbolises the romance of the Old South: a land of idealism and tradition, looking back to a feudal European past of the Middle Ages (as Mark Twain pointed out , it was Sir Walter Scott’s medieval romance Ivanhoe , more than Uncle Tom’s Cabin , that was really the book that caused the Civil War).

Emily’s Hair.

When the rotting body of Homer Barron is discovered in the bedroom of Emily’s house, the narrator observes that the pillow next to the body showed signs of an indentation, suggesting that Emily had been in the habit of lying next to the body with her head resting on the pillow next to his head (although not everyone believes this theory). One lock of her iron-grey hair is found on the pillow, confirming this.

The hair is described as iron -grey, symbolising the iron tenacity of Emily in keeping Homer close to her – in death, if that’s what it took (and it clearly did take that). The ‘iron’ is appropriate, since Emily is a character who is seen to be clinging to other things: to her father’s body when he dies (she is reluctant to give it up to the ministers for burial), to Homer when he rejects her, and, most of all, to a past that no longer exists.

The lock of her hair is also a symbol of Emily’s strange tenderness towards Homer – a man she killed in an act of mad, obsessive love. But Emily’s hair is significant throughout the story: earlier, the narrator told her that she cut her hair short after her father died.

This can be interpreted as a declaration of her independence – one cannot imagine her father letting her wear her hair in such an unladylike fashion – but as with so many of the details in the story, her actual motives are inscrutable.

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