A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner - Essay Example The story, like most of the author’s other works, is noted for its complicated plot and elements of horror. It is the delicate portrayal of a person, denied of love, isolated by the family and society. This story employs the literary devices of mystery throughout to keep the audience hooked to the narration. The way in which the servant behaves and the instance of Miss Emily buying â€Å"arsenic from the druggist† are examples of clever deployment of mystery (Patrick 7). The story’s most unique and striking aspect is the murder of her lover by Emily Grierson but its impact comes to a full circle with the revelation that she keeps his body because she yearns so deeply for his companionship. Through this work Faulkner memorializes Emily, a character that reflects several traits of the Old South, as seen through the townsfolk’s perspective. The story begins with Emily’s death and a description of the house, the insides of which the townsfolk seldom see. The author then gives out the information about the character in bits and pieces, in a jumbled chronological order, immortalizing Emily and her eccentricities. This technique works very well in hiding the vital clues and thus eliminates the chances of compromising the story’s twist in the end. The narrative style helps the audience to understand the faults in Emily’s character. ... The narrative style helps the audience to understand the faults in Emily’s character. The settings of the house, described in the beginning, indirectly refer to the protagonist’s state of existence, as can be evidenced from descriptions like a â€Å"fallen monument† which connotes to the present state of Miss Emily (Faulkner 1). Similarly, the present state of the house, described so clearly as â€Å"stubborn and coquettish decay† and â€Å"eyesore among eyesores† hint both at Emily’s deranged mind as well as the rotten truths that lay buried within her home. (Faulkner 1). The images of the rose colored curtains and the shade lights are the description of a feminine dwelling space and the author illustrates how she remains trapped in a haunted house, without receiving love either from her father or from her lover. The diligent way in which the author portrays her tragedy renders her as a memorable character in the readers’ mind, and th us Faulkner effectively memorializes Emily. The events from Emily Grierson’s childhood, when she lives with her father, also helps in memorializing the character. The author’s style of writing emphasizes such traits that will make the readers remember Emily. The choice of words he uses in the story focuses immediately on the unity of the community knowing about the secrets of Emily since she is dead, and this makes the reader curious to know more about the character. As the readers go on with the story, they find many instances that immortalize Emily in their minds. The gothic horror presented in the story is also one of the aspects that capture the readers’ attention. The decaying mansion that no outsider has entered before Emily’s death and the Negro servant also leave