A Rose For Emily: Fallen From Grace :: essays research papers fc

A locomote for Emily Fallen from GraceA comparative essay on the office of symbolism in William Faulkners "ARose for Emily."     Authors traditionally use symbolism as a way to represent the sometimesintangible qualities of the characters, places, and events in their works. Inhis short story "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner uses symbolism to contrastthe Grierson kinfolk with Emily Griersons physical deterioration, her shift insocial standing, and her reluctancy to accept change.     When compared chronologically, the Grierson hall is used to symbolize fly the coop Emilys physical attri barelyes. In its prime, the Grierson house is describeas "white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in theheavily lightsome style of the seventies" (Faulkner 69). This commentsuggests that the house was built not only for function, but overly to impress andengage the attention of the other townsfolk. Sim ilarly, the richesy women ofthe era, Emily Grierson not withstanding, were spruced up in a conspicuous manner.This, for the most part, is because their appearance was perceived as a directreflection on their husbands and/or fathers. This display of profligacy wasegotistically designed by men to give an impression of wealth to onlookers.Emily was regarded by her father as property. Her significance to him wasstrongly ornamental, just as their overly lavish home was. As the plotprogresses, the reader is understandably made aware of the physical decline of both thehouse and Miss Emily. Just as the house is described as "smelling of sparge anddisuse," evidence of Emilys own aging is given when her voice in as well as saidto be "harsh, and rusty, as if from disuse" (70-74). Ultimately, at the time ofEmilys death, the house is seen by the townspeople as "an eyesore amongeyesores," and Miss Emily is regarded as a "fall monument" (69). Both areempty, and lifeless. Neither are even remotely representative of their formersplendor.     Just as their physical characteristics, Faulkner uses the Grierson houseas a symbol for Miss Emilys change in social status. In its prime, the housewas "big," and "squarish," and located on Jeffersons "most select street" (69).This description gives the reader the impression that the residence was not onlyextremely solid, but also larger than life, almost gothic in nature, andseemingly runproof to the petty problems of the common people. The members ofthe Grierson family, especially Emily, were also considered to be strong andpowerful. The townspeople regarded them as regal. And Emily, as the lastliving Grierson, came to symbolize her familys, and possibly the whole souths,rich past. The townspeoples reveration of Emily soon decayed, however, once it