Faulkner portrays the fallen past through the characters of Colonel Sartoris, the old Board of Aldermen, the manservant, and Emily herself. The new Board of Aldermen, the narrator, and Homer Barron represent the new era. These characters together help to present the contrast of the past and the present. For instance, the old Board of Alderm

en accepted Colonel Sartoris's explanation to Emily and revoked any taxes placed upon her. The new board, however, "with its modern ideas" could find no evidence in the city books to support the claim of the Colonel so they go to Emily in demand for the payment of her taxes (362). She, however, denies the men's claims based upon the word of Colonel Sartoris. Emily, now stuck and dwelling upon the past, tells the men to "see Colonel Sartoris" (363). Emily is grounded in the past tradition and ways of the white supremacy's old south. She seems to imply that when the Colonel gave her his word that agreement knew no death. The new Aldermen, however, are focused on the present day statute of having all agreements written down. This, therefore, shows the passing of an era and the contrast of the past and present.

In either situation it was apparent that Homer had seduced Emily. The townspeople, both present and past generations, new that Homer was not a "marrying man" (366). Emily knew it as well he was a Yankee, yet, she seemed to press on anyway buying him a man's toilet set in silver with his initials and having him stay at her house. It appears as thought she desperately wants him to be apart of her life but he could not become a man of the past. Homer, instead, was apart of the present and was unwilling to be ruled by Emily's Old South traditions. The differences between them are noticeable, she was a person focused on the past and he was a man of the present. When she is finally faced with these facts and the possibility of Homer leaving her she does the only thing she can do to keep him with her and apart of the past; she kills him. Emily had finally taken control of this new era. In her own sick way she stopped time and kept Homer there in the house with her until she herself died there and gave way to the new era.

The house, furthermore, is symbolic of Emily herself for she is apart of the past and present. And, yet, she dwelled in the glory days of the past when she had been beautiful and a part of the supreme Old South high society and its etiquette. Now she stood out as a small, obese, stubborn old lady who was an eyesore amongst the eyesore of the town. She, like the house, had been left in the past becoming decrepit, deteriorated, and fading slowly day by day further into t

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1561
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)