Symbolism In A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner - 879 Words

Till Death Do Us Part In â€Å"A Rose for Emily† William Faulkner writes a gothic toned short story about spending life holding onto the past and lost love, and the toll life can take on ones self. The main character Emily Grierson is a woman who lives in the house of her deceased father in the south during the late 1800’s/ early 1900’s, and spends her life secluded while trying to hold onto love and refuses change. The main character holds onto the things in her life including love and inexperience, while being unwelcoming and mentally deteriorating until the day she dies. I believe that Faulkner uses the title of the story, the house, and hair as symbolic messages in the story to reveal the love Emily has lost but holds onto, how life has†¦show more content†¦327). Her life spent holding onto lost love caused her to be destroyed and deteriorated inside, and out. The house Emily lived in was once a beautiful and elegant house. Passed onto her from her father, it is described as being white, big with balconies, decorated with cupolas, and placed on one of the best streets. But as time went on, the house began to age and weaken. The narrator compares the house to being an eyesore. As the story goes on the house just seems to get worst, at one point Emily’s house receives complaints of reeking, when the narrator says â€Å"It was another link between the gross teeming world and the high and mighty Griersons† (pg. 324). By the end of the story when the narrator finally makes their way into Emily’s home after years of it being shut in from the world, the house was unclean and filled with dust. The place had looked as though it hadn’t been cleaned in years. The house is symbolic to Emily herself. As she ages so does the house. As she starts to seclude herself and gains weight, the house becomes smelly and covered in dust . As she gets older she also becomes mentally ill which causes her to be alone for so many years. A house can’t stand if it’s weakened and that’s the same for Emily. Emily’s hair is mentioned quite a few times during the story. The first time her hair is mentioned is right after her dad dies. The narrator describes â€Å"when we saw her again, her hair was cut short, making her look like a girl, with a vague resemblance toShow MoreRelatedSymbolism Of A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner Essay1070 Words   |  5 Pages Symbolism meaning: Analysis of the symbolism of â€Å"The for Emily† by William Faulkner In the story of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, Emily Grierson is the protagonist who also represents the Jefferson communities’ past and present by following her life backward and her house and the people in a community to represent the changes throughout time. 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