A Rose for Emily

Dr. Peih-ying Lu

Oct 22, 2012

Human Conflict

At an Interview, Faulkner said:

• “The title] was an allegorical title; the meaning was, here was a woman who had had a tragedy, an irrevocable tragedy and nothing could be done about it, and I pitied her and this was a salute…to a woman you would hand a rose.”

• Introducción a la narrativa breve de William Faulkner, p. 63

 By Cristina Blanco Outón

Story Line Please write down the chronological story

line

Writing Style

• FLASHBACK and FORESHADOWING are two often used literary devices that utilize time in order to produce a desired effect. Flashbacks are used to present actions that occur before the beginning of a story, foreshadowing creates expectation for action that has not yet happened. Faulkner uses both devices in “A Rose for Emily.”

A Rose for Emily

• Characters

• Plots

• Conflicts

Emily

• Refuses to accept changes

Examples:

1. refused to accept the fact that her father

is dead

And…

2.

3.

Emily’s character a. Why does Miss Emily deny her father’s

death?b. What void in her life is filled by Homer?c. Why does she order the monogrammed

toilet set for Homer?d. Why does she kill Homer?e. Why does she keep Homer’s body?f. Why does she become a recluse?

Why did Miss Emily kill Homer Barron?• Barron had deserted her.• Barron refused to marry her.• She feared that Barron would not remain

faithful to her after their marriage • She was insane.• He wanted to blackmail her.• He wanted to take her to the North.

• Characterize Emily's father and Homer. Also, please discuss if Emily's father would have approved of Homer?

Emily’s father

• Possessive and domineering Example: Drive away all the young men

張愛玲： 怨女 • 「對張愛玪而言，銀娣的悲劇應不在於她接受命運的擺弄

，而在於她始終企圖超越她所受的束縛。」 【美國哈佛大學講座教授】王

德威

• Textual evidence: “ we thought of them as a tableau, Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background…the two of them by the backflung door.” (P197)

Homer

Characteristics?

Why is he not a marrying type?

Man vs. Man; Man vs. Himself; Man vs. Nature; Man vs. Society;

Man vs. Supernatural

-Miss Emily vs. her father

-Miss Emily vs. herself

-Miss Emily vs. Homer

-Miss Emily vs. townspeople/cousins

And……?

Conflict

Comparison of the Old and the New generation

Old South New South

Emily’s father Homer

Colonel Sartoris Aldermen

Judge Stevens Young man who wants to confront Miss Emily about the smell

Tobe

• The old generation:

• The new generation:

- embody the values of the Old South- feel a paternalistic responsibility for Miss Emily

- more businesslike- the young man’s suggestion - “with more modern ideas”

Questions

• Please develop the following lists:a. List differences between the older and

younger generations.b. List examples of the decay in Miss

Emily’s house.c. List the changes that have occurred in

Miss Emily’s neighborhood.d. List examples of Miss Emily’s refusal to

accept change.

SYMBOL

(An object that suggests more than its literal meaning. An object that points or hints at deeper meaning. Always look at titles, inanimate objects, names, colors, and locales.)

•The rose color?

•The title?

•The toiletry items?

•The pocket watch?

•The dust?