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A Rose For Emily Symbolism Essay

979 Words4 Pages

Reagan Fuller
Callie Ruiz
Eastern Arizona College
English 102
Literary Analysis

Everyday people come across a wide variety of symbolism. Symbolism can be defined as a literary device that uses symbols such as words, pictures, people, marks, locations, or abstract ideas to help represent something beyond the literal meaning. Symbolism can help to escalate writing to a sensory experience. Symbols can give words figurative meaning as well as literal meaning and allow the writers to say more with less. In the story, “A Rose For Emily” there are many different uses of symbolism. The use of symbolism help to develop and define the character of Emily through the eyes of the town. The use of symbolism throughout the story helps …show more content…

Lime is a white powder that is used to cover the smell of decomposing bodies. Due to the complaint of a horrid smell coming from the Grierson home, the townspeople take a trip to go sprinkle lime on the property. “They broke open the cellar door and sprinkled lime there, and in all the outbuildings. As they recrossed the lawn, a window that had been dark was lighted and Miss Emily sat in it, the light behind her, and her upright torso motionless as that of an idol. They crept quietly across the lawn and into the shadow of the locusts that lined the street” (Faulker 33). Eventually the smell of Homer’s decomposing body stops spreading into the town, but it is possible that the townspeople became used to the smell. It is later discovered at the end of the story that Emily had killed Homer and had been keeping his body in a rose room in her house. It is assumed that Emily had been sleeping next to Homer’s up to her death. The lime symbolizes an attempt to hide things. It symbolizes how the town covers things up in that …show more content…

Symbolism helps portray a different, deeper meaning in a story. Every reader can interpret the symbols in their own way. While a symbol may not be clear til the very end, the symbols in this story help to capture the readers attention and grab their interest. The rose in the title helps to capture the readers story about a potential love story. The lime that is spread throughout her property leaves the readers wondering why that needed to be done. The description of the house helps the readers to understand Emily’s interstate and loneliness. Emily remains the same throughout her whole life and just develops more secrets to hide. The evolution through time can be traced through the different symbols throughout the story. As shown in this essay the symbolism in, “A Rose For Emily” reveals the tragedy that one can face through

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