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A Rose For Emily Change Analysis

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In the story "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner illustrates the story of an older woman refusing to adjust to new customs of the southern society. Miss Emily's behavior, her appearance, and the house she resides in, all portray her inability to adapt to the modernizing South. All in all, the decaying of Miss Emily and the old South's social codes cannot survive in a new, changing society. Throughout Miss Emily's resistance to change, her behavior is the first indication that she is stuck in the past. Faulkner describes a time when Emily refuses to pay a tax notice when she is requested to by the sheriff's department. But as soon as she receives a personal letter from the mayor himself, she immediately writes back with "the tax notice also …show more content…

Emily once again refuses to realize times have changed and no one is exempt from paying their taxes. The author also informs the reader that Colonel Sartoris had died almost ten years prior, which helps the reader understand how out of touch Emily is to her surroundings. Miss Emily represents, “a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town” (Faulkner 1). The town fathers refused to confront her about the smell emanating from her house. Instead, they decide to put lime to treat the odor. Even the town pharmacist gives arsenic to Miss Emily without a valid explanation as to what her motives are behind it. The community looks after Emily but only out of a sense of duty and not genuine concern for her welfare. This is illustrated by all of the townspeople gossiping about her. Many neighbors disagree with allowing Emily to freely behave as she pleases, but instead they continue to follow the orders given by the town fathers who felt that the community owes it to Miss Emily’s deceased father to watch over her. Faulkner also narrates that Miss Emily refuses to put house numbers on the side of her house. Eventually the town began to receive free postal service, therefore, residents in Jefferson needed to attach mailboxes and postal numbers to

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