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A Rose for Emily


In chronological order, the tax story is the first event in the book. It simply establishes pity and robs the story of foreboding macabre feeling and exchanges it for one of pity and sympathy for Emily. The reason it wasn't the first thing appearing in the story, is because the lack of macabre would ruin the story and diminish the suspense a bit. .
             The next event in the story is the bit about her father's death. This gives an explanation of Emily's background and explains her odd behavior. Emily was sheltered and oppressed as a child; she is kept in the house as a housekeeper by her father. When her father dies, she refuses to believe it because her father is all she was ever allowed to have. The story gives an explanation of this behavior in that, "We remembered all the young men her father had driven away and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will."" The author includes this information to add to the sense of apprehension and it will probably help explain her later evil actions. Emily's father turned away all the other men in her young life. This tells the reader that Emily's life is definitely morose and depressing. The fact that it precedes the tax story solidly establishes that Emily is a tragic, oppressed, complex character. The reader assumes she will do something bad because of her childhood. Chronologically, this section of the story is the second event. Its position as the second event in the story would further the pity factor, but it would not emphasize the macabre feeling because it hasn't established Emily's death yet. The reader only feels sorry and does not question the eeriness of the situation. .
             Homer Barron is introduced next. He is the new man in Emily's life. He is a Northerner and a construction foreman, meaning totally new and different change for Emily. His strangeness further reveals Emily's eccentricities and perhaps even shows Emily's failure in her own eyes.


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