Saturday, September 24, 2011

Is Faulkner's short story aptly titled "A Rose for Emily"?

I believe the title is very appropriate for the story.  From the title, readers are meant to sympathize with Emily.  She is a victim of her circumstances, and not a monster.  Although her attitude towards the town, her bizarre actions, and her act of murder would paint her in a poor light, Faulkner works hard to demonstrate that she has had an unfortunate upbringing.  He makes it clear that her father was domineering and, most likely, abusive; he also shows that the town makes little attempt to socialize with her, which keeps her isolated and lonely.

The "rose" for her is the one bit of kindness we see for Emily.  It is symbolic of her suffering and her perserverance.  It also symbolic of the sympathetic feeling of the townspeople, who are trapped by tradition in the way that they behave towards her.  The title allows readers to view the story as a personal tragedy, and not just a gothic horror.

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