domestic violence
A symbol is a person, object, or event that suggests more than its literal meaning. In William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," the symbolism shows more about the character than is detailed by the author. Authors generally use symbolism as a way to represent the intangible qualities of the characters, places, and events in their work. Symbolism helps to indicate several things in a story. In "A Rose for Emily" Faulkner uses symbolism to define and characterize Emily Grierson. There are many symbols in this story each one has a special meaning to be determined by the reader. Therefore each time the story is read it can take on a new form, which will make this story lasts for generations to come. The title "A Rose for Emily" holds a lot of symbolism in itself. When asked about the title Faulkner replied "...this was a salute, just as if you were to make a gesture...to a woman you would hand a rose"(Faulkner Interview, 1955). The title "A Rose for Emily" symbolizes a gift to Emily Grierson. According to Cleaneth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren, Emily is "treasured" by her community (158). Perhaps this rose is a gift of love from the town who viewed Emily as a "fallen monument"(71), and of
Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, The rose can also represent the color of the "bridal room" that is found in Emily's home after her death, possibly because of the description Faulkner gives us, "upon the valance curtains of faded rose color, upon the rose-shaded lights" (77). These rose colored items gave the room an artificial rose like color. Once white and decorated in "the heavily lightsome style of the seventies"(71), the "A Rose for Emily" emphasizes the way that beauty and grace can become Emily meets Homer Barron, a symbol of progression and change. Once Homer Barron enters Miss Emily's house, and her life, he is bound to her forever without escape. She murders him and preserves his body much as one would a dead rose. She loves Homer and preserves his love the only way she knows how, and that is by killing him. William Van O'Connor says different. He feels the murder of Homer represents the "destruction of the old order by the new"(152), the new order is what Homer represents in Emily's life and the old order is the old south. When Emily kills Homer she puts him in an embracing position so that she can still feel loved every night. She attempts to keep him just as one would press a rose in a book to keep as a remembrance. She tries to preserve him just as girls will a rose even after the petals have dried and the flower has withered. Emily keeps Homer as her rose even after his death and when Homer dies, her rose wilts. Emily is able to have total control of her life.
Some common words found in the essay are:
Miss Emily's, Rose Emily, Love Emily, Brooks Warren, Warren Emily, Emily Homer, Emily Possibly, According West, Van O'Connor, Emily Grierson, rose emily, house emily, emily grierson, miss emily's, emily's house, fallen monument71, miss emily, decaying house, symbol love, love care, token affection admiration, genuine love care, emily fallen monument71, symbol love token, faulkner's rose emily,
Approximate Word count = 1868
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)
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