Literary Analysis On “A Rose For Emily“

In his short story “A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner relates to the reader the life of Emily Grierson, a remnant of the past. The narrator of the story relates the mystery and intrigue that surrounds the events of Miss Emily’s life. As her story unfolds, Faulkner depicts the thoughts that the townspeople have about her and her actions. It is quickly evident that the author makes distinctions between the sexes in this story. As the townspeople interact with and react to Miss Emily, a clear characterization of the males and females emerges. Faulkner portrays the men in the story as admirable, respectful, polite, and well mannered and portrays the women as nosey, interfering, unkind, gullible, and gossipy.

Faulkner’s treatment of the male in “A Rose for Emily” is quite complimentary. From the very beginning of the story the male is presented as admirable. In the first sentence of the story, Faulkner writes that the men go to the funeral “out of respectful affection for a fallen monument” (87). They attend this funeral for honorable reasons. Obviously, they have a great respect for Miss Emily’s family and felt that they should pay their respects upon her death. The m

On the other hand, Faulkner’s characterization of the females is the complete opposite. Whereas the males attend the funeral out of respect, “the women mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her house” (87). The women are portrayed as being motivated by their curiosity rather than concern for Miss Emily. When the smell around Miss Emily’s home develops, it was a woman who first complains about it. The concept of women being nosey and interfering carries on throughout the story. Their unkindness is shown in their actions also. Whereas the men don’t want to really bother her about the smell, a woman wants to “send her word to stop it. ‘Isn’t there a law?’”(89) she said. The women in this story seem to be quite unkind. When there is curiosity about the relationship that develops between Miss Emily and Homer, “some of the ladies began to say that it was a disgrace to the town and a bad example to the young people” (92). While the men feel the relationship is none of their concern, “the ladies force the Baptist Minister … to call on her”(92). The minister’s wife goes so far as to inform Miss Emily’s kin in Alabama about the situation. Of course, Faulkner makes note of the fact that it is the female cousins who come to intervene. The female characters in the story continue to be portrayed as nosey and unkind as the story unfolds.

Faulkner’s women in this story are also gullible and gossiping. Colonel Sartoris, the mayor, concocts a story to justify Miss Emily’s not paying taxes for years. Faulkner writes, “only a man of Colonel Sartoris’ generation and thought could have invented it, an

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