Literary Essay Example on Faulkner's A Rose for Emily

Introduction

The title of the play carried a definite meaning following the tragedies in the life of Miss Emily. In the story, the author used Miss Emily as the main character to reveal many themes in the play. As evident in the title, A Rose for Emily the reader feels it is allegoric in nature. The inhabitants of the Southern were aware of all the tragedies facing Emily but did not have a chance to intervene. Many people in town including the Mayor pitied Emily for the problems she was facing but could not visit her because she lived in isolation (Ryu, 137). In this case, Emily is one of the women one could give a rose flower just to comfort her because of the blight. Ideally, without Emily, the author would not communicate well the major themes in the play because the entire story revolves around her tribulations.

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Miss Emily as the Main Character: Revealing the Themes

The narrative regarding Emilys family depicts a people that resist change. In the present, Emily is living in poverty, and she does not want to accept the reality. Emilys father became financially weak after a civil war, and thus tragedies befall their lives. It was hard for Emily to pay taxes because of their financial status. Additionally, Emily could not find someone to marry because she was isolated and held the perceived social status. The fact that Emily was holding to the perceived status indicates the resistance to change in the South. The management of the town had changed, and Emily did not want to adjust and fit into the new system. She continued living in the past and held the old agreement regarding payment of taxes.

Isolation and Perceived Social Status: The Reality of Life in the South

The story reveals the reality of life where people continued to live in isolation because of traditions and perceived social status. The smell from Emilys residential home is symbolic and shows how she is isolated from the members of the town. Ideally, Emilys family was wealthy and thus did not interact much with people of low classes. However, after many tragedies including loss of money, Emily dwells in the old mentality and status. The author uses Emilys family to explain the various themes that characterize the dark town of the Old South. The author uses death symbolically and in the center of different themes in the story. In the play, the author tells of the death of Emily, Homer Barron, and Emilys father. Death was significant in explaining how Emily was sticking to the traditions and sleeping next to dead bodies. The weight of the traditions in the life of Emily is depicted when she resisted accepting Northerner Homer. The Northerners are elites who embrace new technology. Homer Barron is an example of Northerner who came to the south because of contracts. In this case, the author uses Homer Barron to depict how Emily is resistance to change because she does not accept his marriage proposal.

Moral Decay in the South: Society's Rotting Traditions

There is a moral decay in South as evident through the life of Emily. The readers can see how the society in the south is rotting with traditions in the face of progressive change. In the play, there is a new technology, which includes cotton gins, mail services, and cotton gins. The new technology was a replacement for the archaic. The author uses the two different times to depict how people like Emily live in the past in the era of new technologies. The text is a reality of life where the perspectives of the citizens regarding life differ and causes isolations. The author exposes the expose the worse of a society where see a problem but lack the courage to reveal. For example, the bad smell emanating from Emilys residential area made the entire town uncomfortable (Ryu, 137). However, the city management resolved to find a way of solving the problem without involving Emily. The scenario is symbolic, and it shows how different people perceived change and participate in the change process. The colonial government pardons Emilys family from taxations, and thus the family wants to dwell in the old agreement.

The Theme of Isolation: Emily's Relevance in a Changing Society

The theme of isolation is evident in the play in many instances in the play. Ideally, many people in the town seem to know that Emily is irrelevant in the era because of the traditional lifestyle. The smell of a dead body in the play was used symbolically to show how Emily was irrelevant. The bad smell kept from visiting Emily in her home. In the modern society, diversity forms a boundary between different people. The difference in interest, race, and ethnicity divides the community into various groups (Ryu, 137). It is ironical that Emily is living in isolation and the people in town are watching. Besides, the life Emily is paradoxical because she is part of the town community and isolations. It appears from the play Emilys father is watching her in a spiritual realm. In this case, the spirits of the ancient time are strong and that Emily cannot accept change in her life.

The play depicts the modern societies where people push friends who can be helpful in their lives. Emily is an example of the people in the modern society who resist opening their problems to the people who may be useful. Emily presents a great lesson to the reader in that nobody can live well in isolation. The story of her death reveals how people came to bury her despite her isolations. The scenario of her death has a moral lesson in that nobody can live entirely in isolations. It is common to see wealthy people live in isolation and fail to join the society once the wealth is offer. The people use their riches to push people who could be of help in future. The life of Emily is a lesson to participate in the community affairs because the community will be helping one day.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is evident that the play A Rose for Emily mirrors all societies. People a society differ in opinions and matters of life. The author uses Emily to explain the theme of resistance to change and theme of isolation in the play. Emily valued the perceived status ad was not willing to marry anyone bellow the status. Notably, in the essay, Emily was part of the community and lived in isolation. She did not want to pay her taxes because she lived in the old agreement during the colonial era. It is ironical that the community came to bury Emily though she lived all her life in isolation. The story is present a moral lesson to the reader it is not possible to be self-sufficiency. The people we despise and run away from will one day be helpful to us.

Works Cited

Ryu, Da-Young. "The Expression of Sublime in Gothic Novel-William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily." Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society 17.5 (2016): 137-145.