How Does Faulkner Use Flashback In A Rose For Emily

1166 Words5 Pages

The Mind of Emily In “A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner uses symbolism and flashbacks throughout the story to describe the character, Emily Grierson. Both of these literary devices show the reader a message describing the main character, Emily. Emily was a person who was too afraid to let go of the past, and she clung to the people she loved. Faulkner used symbolism to describe Emily, and then he used flashbacks to foreshadow and give the reader an expectation of why Emily acted the way she did. Faulkner used these literary devices to give many ingenious ways of describing and adding more quality to Emily, her choices, and her way of life; he also used these devices to add more depth to this short story. Throughout this short story, Faulkner …show more content…

The house had many symbols. First, the house was described as worn down but coquettish (557). You can tell by the way the town talked about the house that it was the only residence to have kept its old-fashioned ways. The house was the last residence in the neighborhood that was outdated. The house seemed lonely, like it was an outcast, just like Emily. Emily held on to people in her life who were dead, just like the house held on to its old-fashioned looks. Secondly, the upstairs bedroom in the house represented death and mental illness. This is where Emily kept Homer’s dead body; it was like she kept him as a trophy. Emily did not want the man to leave her; she preserved him, showing she had a problem letting go of things and people around …show more content…

The title of the story is “A Rose for Emily.” The rose has drawn many questions for readers due to its many symbols. First, a rose shows love, affection, and happiness. These are things Emily never got to experience. Emily only had the thought of being loved in her mind. The rose can symbolize the love Emily never got to receive. Second, when Emily died, the townspeople attended her funeral. As Emily was growing up, the men in the town saw her as a goddess, but her father would never allow her to date. At funerals, there are usually flowers, like roses, that people give to show their respect and to give their condolences to the deceased. At Emily’s funeral, the men respected her; they called her Miss Emily, and they did not attend just to see what her house looked like (557). The men attended the funeral to show and pay their