Milner 1 Bailee Milner Professor Poole Eng 1213 Research Paper 3 May 2011 Faulkners A Rose for Emily

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner has been interpreted in many contrary ways. Most of these interpretations rely solely on hints found within the story. The possible meanings of both the title and the chronology of William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily have been debated for years, but together they, along with the language used by Faulkner, are what truly define the story. The title, A Rose for Emily is a part of the story that often perplexes the readers. According to Elizabeth Kurtz, Recognition of the meaning of the rose in the title of William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily requires some recognition of the meaning of significance of a rose carried for a young woman(40). The rose is often a symbol of love, friendship, and portrays an everlasting beauty. Roses have been used for centuries to illustrate an everlasting type of love and friendship. The only rose mentioned in the story is in the title. Faulkner allows the reader to the opportunity to interpret the rose's symbolic meaning on their own. For example, a dried rose between the pages of a book could point to Homer being a dried rose (Fenson and Kritzer). Emily wanted to keep him forever and this could have been the way she wanted to do so. What the title does, reveals as much as what the rose means. The rose of the title extends beyond a flower or literary allusion. The rose represents secrecy: the closed relationship between Faulkner and Emily, with all of the privileged information withheld. Just as the story's title is a masterpiece of subtle insinuations, so also in the chronology in its implications for the structure of the story. The chronology deliberately manipulates and delays the reader's final judgment of Emily Grierson by altering the evidence(Getty 230). What Getty is saying is what the chronology does is as important as when the events actually take place. William Faulkners

Milner 2 non-chronological story telling style has long been a challenge to critics and a puzzle to beginning literature students because of the complexity of Faulkners treatment of time(Garrison 342). While a deeper understanding of Faulkners approach to time may come later, a commencing interpretation of Faulkners stories requires some sorting out of these events and their relative signicance, just as the understanding of the meaning of the rose does in the title. Closely related to these two features is an element which has attracted significantly less interest: Faulkners utilization of language. Thus she passed from generation to generationdear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse(Faulkner 292). This suggests how complex and provocative the language is in A Rose for Emily. Strategically placed at the end of Part IV, it serves both as a paramount unifying device for the story, as well as a subtle element of foreshadowing. Alice Petry suggests, The use of these particular adjectives give the reader a moment to pause and reflect on the first four parts of the story and foreshadow into the fifth part(56) All of these terms suggest neglect, decay, and energy. Each of these elements tie in with the surface layer as well as the deeper, more complicated themes. The language reaches beyond defining different parts of the story with a particular word and reaches to the author and his relationship to the story and characters. The meaning behind the title, the chronology of the story, and the language used by William Faulkner truly define the story. This short story represents Faulkners loyalty to the south and its representation. Many people have very different opinions about the specifics of the story, but these three features give great insight to Faulkners thoughts about the story and the hidden details of Emily Grierson and her life.

Milner 3 Works Cited Fenson, Harry, and Hildreth, Kritzer. Reading, Understanding, and Writing About Short Stories. New York: Free Press, 1966. Print. Getty, Laura J. Faulkner's A Rose for Emily. Explicator 63.4 (2005): 230-234. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 May 2011. Garrison Jr., Joseph M. 'Bought Flowers in A Rose for Emily. Studies in Short Fiction 16.4 (1979): 341. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 May 2011. Kurtz, Elizabeth Carney. Faulkner's A Rose for Emily. Explicator 44.2 (1986): 40. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 May 2011. Petry, Alice Hall. Faulkner's A Rose for Emily. Explicator 44.3 (1986): 52. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 May 2011.