Rose For Emily Progress

Fredrick Douglass once said, “Without a struggle, there can be no progress”. In William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily”, it highlights some of the struggles and progresses made during the Civil War. While the South was struggling to accept the changes being made, the North began to make progress including passing laws and creating new inventions. While the Civil War may have been a time of complete segregation between the North and South, it allowed for some great growth. The short story reflects the reconstruction period of the South, distinction between social classes, and the expectations for southern women. For starters, the Reconstruction period occurred right after the Civil War. In 1865, Abraham Lincoln began planning for the reconstruction of the South. He wanted to bring the Nation back together as quickly as possible and one of his plans was to prohibit slavery. Northerners who went south for economic and

The Union had more money and resources compared to the Confederacy. However, the Confederacy women did most of their work independently or through a local business. They also would cook and sew for men, providing them uniforms, blankets, and other supplies. Wealthy women depended on their slaves for most of their work to be completed. With that said, Emily never has a family of her own and depends on her servant because he is her only link to the outside world. The reader knows her servant stays awhile because the townspeople observe him going in and out of the house until her passing. Not only was her father a controlling presence when he was alive but even after death. He has an ever-lasting influence over Emily which shapes her into the women she becomes. She is terrified to explore the world and its many opportunities because she does not want to upset her father. Not only that, but she may not know how because she never