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The Theme Of Isolation In William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

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In "A Rose For Emily" William Faulkner discusses the theme of isolation. In the story there is a lady whose name is Emily, who lost her father. Emily 's father was over protective and strict. A foreman named Homer Barron had a relationship with Emily later on after her father died. One day Homer goes to Emily 's house and the town never sees him come out. Emily then became even more isolated after that. Emily Grierson is so stubborn and unwillingness to accept change and keeps herself isolated. First of all, Emily 's relationship with her father was not the best. Her father cut her off from all social contact and courtship which ruined her life, "that quality of her father which had thwarted her woman 's life so many times" (Faulkner,38). So that there meant she was isolated by her father. She was not able to talk to guys and could not da ate either. When her father past away and was buried her isolation was more noticeable, "after her father 's death she went out very little" (Faulkner,34). At first Emily was not willing to accept that her father was dead, "she told them that her father was not dead" (Faulkner,36) and Emily did that for three days. After they buried her father, she was sick for …show more content…

Furthermore, the community also proves the isolation of Emily and her unwillingness to accept change. When Emily 's father died, she did not have to pay taxes. Emily was left alone with only a house but no money from her father. The town felt sorry for her, only for awhile. As years went by, the newer generation wanted Miss Emily to start paying for the taxes but she refused. Some would think that she isolated herself from the community so that she wouldn 't have to pay taxes. Another example is with the postal delivery, "when the town got free postal delivery, Miss Emily alone refused" (Faulkner,38). Emily seems like she did not want anything to do with the community, "she is out of touch with the reality that constantly threatens to break through her" (SparkNotes

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