Literary Analysis: Class, Society, and Isolation in 'A Rose for Emily'

This essay provides a literary analysis of William Faulkner's short story, 'A Rose for Emily'. The analysis focuses on key themes, including class division, social hierarchy, and the isolation of the protagonist, Miss Emily Grierson, within the context of the Southern United States. It examines how Faulkner uses the story to critique the elitism and social structures of the time, emphasizing the futility of class distinctions. The essay explores the plot, character development, and the symbolic significance of events within the narrative, such as Miss Emily's relationship with Homer Barron and the discovery at the end of the story. The analysis also highlights the author's use of suspense and the Southern Gothic literary style to convey deeper meanings about the characters and the society they inhabit. The essay references specific quotations from the story to support its interpretations and conclusions.

Running head: A ROSE FOR EMILY
A ROSE FOR EMILY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1A ROSE FOR EMILY
Background
The story which has been taken up for analysis in this particular essay is titled, ‘A Rose
for Emily’ authored by William Cuthbert Faulkner. He is a noble prize winning American
literary artist who is best known for his signature style of imbibing the social life and the social
conditions that prevailed in the southern part of the United States of America. The chosen short
story is also based on the life in the southern part of the United States of America with particular
reference to the aristrocracy and the elitism that the people maintained in the region. In the
chosen short story the class division and the class solidarity which prevailed in the southern part
of the United States of America has been showcased which shall be discussed in the following
sections.
Summary
The chosen short story tends to be amalgamation of two very distinct themes. One is
pertaining to the social conditions that prevailed in the southern part of the United States of
America which was blatantly white supremacist in its orientation. The second one being
concerned about suspense is more pertinent as a genre in the field of literature and has literary
significance much more than any social or political importance.
The plot of the short story revolves around the life of an aristrocratic lady by the name
Miss Emily Grierson who led the life of isolation under the strict disciplinarian father of her.
When she had attained the marriageable age her father had jeopardized her prospects of finding a
suitor as all were rejected on grounds that none were eligible for her. After the death of her father
she fell in love with a man named Homer Barron who was much lower than her in social

2A ROSE FOR EMILY
hierarchy. The town dwellers scorned her courtship with him and he too was disinterested in
marriage. Upon the death of Miss Emily it was found that she had killed Homer Barron whose
skeletal remains were discovered from her estate.
Main Thesis or Idea of the Author
“in 1894 when Colonel Sartoris, the mayor--he who fathered the edict that no Negro
woman should appear on the streets without an apron-remitted her taxes (Faulkner, Carradine
& Huston, 1958)”
This particular quotation shows the class division that prevailed in the region and the
negroes being second class citizens of the nation.
“Colonel Sartoris invented an involved tale to the effect that Miss Emily's father had
loaned money to the town, which the town, as a matter of business, preferred this way of
repaying. (Faulkner, Carradine & Huston, 1958)”
This quotation shows the solidarity among the white race who ensured that their brethren
remained safe and free from troubles even if that necessitated indulgence in corruption.
“She carried her head high enough--even when we believed that she was fallen.
(Faulkner, Carradine & Huston, 1958)”
The main idea of the short story was to show the futility of the class division that existed
in the region and the nation at large. The quotation shows that the elitism which Miss Emily and
her likes put up was a mere pretence. Her father’s obsession with status was of no avail and the
irony lies in the fact that she was forced to choose someone below her status whom she could nit
get unfortunately.

3A ROSE FOR EMILY
References
Faulkner, W., Carradine, J., & Huston, A. (1958). A rose for Emily (pp. 170-179). Paderborn,
De: Verlag F. Schöningh.