Mackenzie Miller Mrs. Keeling English 101 January 15th 2018 “A Rose for Emily” Literary Analysis William Faulkner was a 1900’s author. His novels and short stories were set in Yoknapatawpha County, a fictional county based in Mississippi. In one of his stories “A Rose for Emily” Faulkner displayed several examples of an literary analysis. In the story Emily Grierson has recently passed away. The narrator begins to recall a time about thirty years earlier when after her father died, Emily had a mental breakdown and refused to acknowledge his death. Later on Homer Barron comes into town with his crew to build sidewalks and she falls in love. However, when it comes time for him to leave town, she does something to make sure he’ll never leave her. She goes to buy some arsenic and when questioned what its for she claims it’s for rats. So one night Homer enters the Grierson house and is never to be seen again. Many years later after Emily has died, they find …show more content…
The three stages of a rose’s life can represent different parts of Emily’s. The budding stage of the rose represents Emily when her father was still alive. Her father cuts her off from most social contact leaving him as all she knows. When he dies she refuses to accept it as he is the only one she has. The rose in full bloom represents her time with Homer Barron. After her father died and once the town sees her again Faulkner writes that she looks as if “a vague resemblance to those as angels in colored church windows.” She’s in her prime and she starts her affair with Homer Barron. She murders him as it comes time for him to leave in order for the two to stay together forever. Lastly the dying stage of the rose represents Emily in her older age. Emily gaining weight in her old age and her hair turning gray and hardly ever opening her doors. This which led up to her death. In all the symbolism of the rose being very important to the