Respectful Timidness In William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

The respectful timidness of the American South portrayed in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” shows the demeanor towards higher members in society. People avoid the slightest possibility of insulting members of a higher social class. Even when these members are under mental distress they are afraid. Their status voids them of their civilian duties if they choose to. They can completely ignore the law and others will have to make up for it. These members themselves are not even allowed to under mind their respective social classes. The people go out of their way to avoid the slightest possibility of insulting Miss Emily Grierson when Homer Brown is decomposing in her house. Townspeople complain to the town’s officials about the stink. It was so powerful that it is impossible for it to be coming from any living thing. To that accusation Judge Stevens told them, “will you accuse a lady to her face of smelling bad?” (Faulkner 170). They all know it can’t possibly be her, but something on her property. Surely no lady would let her property to smell like that, but they dare not accuse her. They then went around the law and

The younger generation officials simply look over her not paying taxes for years. They never did more than send a request for her to pay. Anyone else with a lower social status who would have committed this serious offence would have simply been made to pay or been sent to jail. Since the late Colonel Sartoris made the lie and Miss. Emily Grierson continues with it they will not dare accuse them. The new generation even holds the same rank as Colonel Sartoris as the story tells, “When the next generation, with its more modern ideas, became mayors and aldermen” (Faulkner 168). Since he came before them he still held higher. Their social status is even unaffected when they are guilty of not paying taxes and excusing someone to do