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Authors traditionally use symbolism [as a way] to represent the sometimes-intangible qualities of the characters, places, and events in their works. William Faulkner's essay titled, A rose for Emily, is a very controversial form of symbolism. Literary Critics have questioned Faulkner's reason for the title A rose for Emily. Why a rose for a murderer, and what is the significance of that rose? When people think of a rose, they think of a romantic environment or a holiday in which a person expresses love and affection for another. A rose is a beautiful flower that holds great significance.
Unlike all flowers, a rose possess thorns, like that of Emily's life; hence, Faulkner uses a rose to symbolize Emily's double personality. Faulkner was not specific on the kind of rose that was given to Emily; therefore, it could be concluded there are many different meanings and aspects to Emily's complicated life. If the rose were red, then it would symbolize Emily's love and passion for consistence in her life. When the town got free postal delivery, Miss Emily alone refused to let them fasten the metal numbers above her door and attach a mailbox to it (76).
Emily, being of a traditional southern heritage, where things remained the same, and technology was not so advanced, preferred to live life free from stress and disappointment the new ways could bring. Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town (71). Her presence and well-being was the only reminder of the traditional southern ways. Emily was the last memory and influence the town had of the south. However, Emily's passion and love for consistence and her resistance to change led her into complete solitude. Now and then [the town] would see her in one of the downstairs windows, with the front door closed and [remaining] closed for good (76).
Miss Emily enjoyed no one. When a representative of the town came to see her concerning a problem pertaining to her, she vanquished them, horse and foot, just as she had vanquished their fathers (72), thus, we have the thorns of Emily's rose. If Faulkner's rose were to have been white, then it would symbolize the innocence, and child-like obedience of Emily. Emily placed her father on a pedestal, and followed every thing he said as if it were part of the Ten Commandments. She dated and courted with no one because according to her father, none of the young men were quite good enough for [his] Miss Emily (73). When her father died, Emily lost the only thing that stood between her social freedom and her love for humanity.
Emily had broken the laws of her tradition, her background, and her father by falling in love with a man outside her social status. Longing for love, Emily fell for a Northerner, Homer Barron. Miss Emily had [gone] to the jewelers and ordered a mans toilet set in silver, with the letters H. B. on each piece.
Two days later she had bought a complete outfit of mens clothing, including a nightshirt (75). When Emily did this, she broke her southern heritage. A woman of the south was not to marry nor court a man of the north or disgrace the family name. Once again, we have the thorns of Emily's rose.
If the rose were orange, it would symbolize Emily's desire to be free; however, this rose would contain more thorns than any other. Although Emily desired to be free from her social class as well as from her fathers prying eyes, she would never be free because the town became her fathers eyes when her father died. Because of Emily's fathers over protection, she knew no other love nor did she know the meaning. [The town] remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and knew with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will (74). When the death of Emily's father forced her to find another source of love, she was determined to do any thing to freeze time so things would never have to change. When Miss Emily died, and the town discovered human remains those not of her own, lying in her bed, they knew how much of a prisoner she was. Emily trapped in her own world, with no mean of escaping and no attempted, wanted nothing more than things to remain the same.
Emily and Homer were never married, but in Emily's mind they were. After the death of Emily's father, she could no longer stand to lose another person she loved dearly; therefore, she killed her only true love, Homer. Once again Emily's thorns have been revealed. We all have double lives; a life society sees and a life all of our own, a life of privacy and well-hidden secrets.
We all possess qualities we want hidden from the outside world. Emily's personal life held more secrets than the government its self. It contained more negative aspects than it did positive aspects. It can be said that Faulkner uses the rose because it has a beautiful side and a side no one likes or a side that is unknown or kept hidden; just like Emily's double personality, the rose possess a double meaning good vs. england Cane vs. Abel.
In the rose, the petals represent the side society sees where as the thorns represents the secrets in the closet or Emily's personality and actions behind closed doors. Many Critics believe Faulkner could have used a Rosemary bush because he was telling a story to acknowledge the past. Where as Rosemary's means in remembrance and we were remembering Miss Emily; therefore, her roses would have a different significance.
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Research essay sample on Rose For Emily Miss Emily
