William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily

1734 Words7 Pages
A Rose for Emily In William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”, an anonymous narrator begins the tale by describing the death of Miss Emily and the town’s feelings towards her. Throughout the story the narrator remains anonymous and goes through different time periods in the history of the town and Miss Emily’s life. The narrator describes significant incidences in Miss Emily’s life that lead to the town’s pity of her, and in part, her demise. Faulkner writes this short story using a chronological timeline to map the existence of Miss Emily Grierson. His way of writing is beneficial to the reader in a way that helps the reader to better understand Miss Emily and how she came to be. His way of writing also grants the reader the opportunity to structure…show more content…
They all gossiped and pitied poor Emily Grierson. The reality, however morbid, was that Miss Emily had lived and died with her lover. She spent all day with the dead body of her former lover. She was never actually alone. Through the use of each chronological event Faulkner allows the reader to walk through the life Miss Emily and the town experienced. The reader was able to form opinions and hypotheses based on the events that were laid out in such a precise and patterned form. Every event and incidence that the narrator discussed was used to formulate the idea that Miss Emily was an old, lonely, recluse. But in the end, it is discovered that she was not as lonely as everyone thought. By leaving the narrator unknown, Faulkner made it possible for any reader to relate to the story and picture themselves in the narrator’s shoes. The narrator is a key influence to the story; as it is their recollections and stories that are being told. The narrator could be a child recounting fables that were told to them by older family members, or it could possibly be an older town’s member who is sharing memories that they have of Miss Emily and her desolate life. By the use of chronological events, recounted stories, and an unknown narrator, Faulkner makes his entire account of Miss Emily’s life open for the reader’s interpretation, making it easier to understand and
Open Document