“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner is written about the change from old south to new south. This change takes place after the Civil War ended. Emily refuses to accept the changes by living in her own version of reality. An analysis of William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” will explain how Faulkner portrays the change in the social structure of the American South in the early twentieth century as a change from old south to sew south by showing the Griersons no longer hold power, the changes in the town, and Emily’s denial to change.
In the new south the Griersons no longer hold power. Emily believes that her family still has the power that they had in the old south, hence she never payed her taxes. When the men came and asked her about her taxes, she stated, “See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson” (452). Even with no proof that Sartoris said that she did not have to pay taxes, Emily thinks that she has the power to not pay taxes. When she goes to buy arsenic from the druggist, she has “cold, haughty eyes” (454), which shows her attitude of superiority. When asked to give a reason for buying the arsenic, Emily “just stared at him, her head tilted back in order to look him eye to eye, until he looked away and went and got the arsenic and wrapped it up” (454). She does this, because in her reality she has the ability to get what she wants without giving a reason for it. Because of the power that the Griersons had, Emily believes that she is above the law. She