Comparing Time In A Rose For Emily And Tryst Beyond Time

864 Words4 Pages

Time is imminent within “A Rose for Emily.” Gene Moore claims that the chronology is completely twisted and that he has figured out the correct chronological pattern of events to make sense of the story in “Of Time and Its Mathematical Progression: Problems of Chronology in Faulkner’s ‘A Rose for Emily.’” In John F. Birk’s article, “Tryst Beyond Time: Faulkner’s ‘Emily’ and Keats,” he compares the similarities between “Ode to a Grecian Urn” and “A Rose for Emily” and how they treat the aspect of time. In Milinda Schwab’s article, “A Watch for Emily,” she explains how Emily’s pocket watch perfectly captures the soul of the story. Three critics of William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” share their unique perspectives on the role of time throughout …show more content…

Schwab emphasizes that the pocket watch is in Emily’s pocket which shows that it is fully in her control. Emily has full control of the clock in order to stop time from passing. Schwab states that Emily killing Homer is the strongest representation of controlling time. Emily killed her husband in order to have Homer be a part of her life for all eternity. Schwab deems this was Emily’s ultimate example of resisting change. Schwab points out the fact that Faulkner introduces Emily and the watch at the same time. This leads the reader to believe that Emily is one with the watch. This draws back to Schwab’s understanding of Emily’s obsession with controlling time. “the story begins…with Emily’s funeral…very little actual time passes in the course of the narrative. By telling her story after her death, Faulkner shows that, in the only way possible, time now stands still for her. Thus this one small detail, the hidden yet constantly ticking watch, becomes a symbol for the horror and futility that are Emily Grierson.” Schwab notices that the story began after Emily’s death indicating the lack of time passing by. She realizes that Emily finally has what she has always wanted, time to stand still. Also, the watch will forever be connected to