A Rose for Emily: Union of Life and Death One character - Essay Example

A Rose for Emily: Union of Life and Death One character Introduction The story “A Rose for Emily” is a heartrending short story written by William Faulkner. The main theme presented in the story is the idea of Union of life and death. This subject has been clearly brought out through the main character by the name Miss Emily Grierson. Her interaction with the people of her hometown has been brought out; the author emphasizes how Emily isolated herself from them after the death of her father. The story’s arrangement is not in chronological order and starts with the death of Miss Emily Grierson before embarking on her life while she was alive. This order of arrangement has made the story even more interesting by creating suspense that instills the urge to read more. As a reader reads through the story, she tries to identify the cause of death for Miss Emily Grierson and how she lived her life while on earth. The story brings out how the people of Jefferson were very sociable, but this is contradicted by the central character who seems to run away from socializing by staying alone in her house. From this aspect, the theme of the story can be derived as the people tried to unite their union of socialization that in this case is a symbol of socialization with that of Miss Emily Grierson’s isolation that stands for death. Emily’s Union of life and death through Isolation When Emilys father dies, she isolates herself from the rest of the society and looks for unity with her dead father. She stays alone and even when her friends make attempts of calling her so that they can unite once more, she does not receive their call as a refusal of the union of life and death. Emily does not believe in the unity of life and death, and that is why she becomes so rebellious. The town of Jefferson is a small country, and they all live as a family, they consider one person mischief as theirs. The small size of the town makes them very close, and gossip spreads around so fast (Faulkner 54). Miss Emily Grierson’s house has been brought out as a symbol of life and death. It is the only place that she can unite with her two close deceased people in her life; her father and husband. From the story, it is clear that Miss Emily did not get over the death of her father wholly. This fact can be vividly seen where the writer says that “After her fathers death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people hardly saw her at all. A few of the ladies had the temerity to call, but were not received, and the only sign of life about the place was the Negro man--a young man then--going in and out with a market basket” (Faulkner 55). Mechanisms of achieving the Union of life and death The author tries to imply that the only way that the union of life and death can be reached is through isolation. The narrator explains that after Miss Emily lost her father, she could socialize no more with the town’s people. It was hard for Emily to admit that Death had entirely taken away the unity she had with her father since her father was everything that she had. While alive, Emily’s father was very protective, and when he was gone, Emily remained conservative to this. According to her, this was the only way her life will unite with her father’s death. The aspect of her father being overprotective can be seen where the author brings it out that that “We recalled all the young men her father had sent away, and we were aware that with nothing left, she was going to hold to that which had robbed her, as people will” (Faulkner 55). There is an incidence that denotes that Miss Emily did not accept the death of her father. First, she refused grief and took the loss she had. “ the City of Jefferson had to call several times to have body released.” says the narrator. However, she tried to find her unity with the dead through isolation. Through her black clothes that she started wearing after the death of her husband, it can be understood that she was slowly beginning to accept death and trying to unite with it. This is portrayed in the story when the narrator says “As years went on she gained weight and started to wear a lot of black clothing which in some way is sarcastic. Miss Emily had a dead body in her house for all those years.” dark clothing is presented as her grieving and acceptance of death (Faulkner 55). The notion of wealth and poverty as a symbol of life and death The idea of poverty and wealth can also be attributed to living and death. While wealth stands for life, poverty takes the place of death. It is hard for the two to interact and become one. In the society currently, people are separated by the classes that they belong. The rich usually seem to isolate themselves from the poor while the poor try as much as they could to associate themselves with the rich (Faulkner 55). The only people who the rich associate with are their servants and this has been clearly brought out in Faulkner’s story. Emily did not socialize with the town’s men and women apart from her servant. Miss Emily was born She was born after Civil War, and father had influenced her to be proud of the aristocracy. Also, the rich always portray themselves being above the law and this is featured in the story when the city had to call and ask to release the body to them; she didn’t take them seriously. This also became the first time that showed low acceptance of death in the story (Faulkner 55). Acts that can bring the Union of life and death It is very hard for the unity of life and death to be achieved. However, there are those trivial things that are done by people that enhance the union of life and death. The townspeople and authority seemed very much respectful to Emily; this is because her father was a well prominent person in the town. This can be seen where the narrator says “Emily"s father had loaned money to the town, which the town, as a matter of business, preferred this way of repaying. Only a man of Colonel Sartoris" generation and thought could have invented it, and only a woman could have believed it.” It can be deduced that the town decided were friendly to Emily in as a sign of repaying her of the good deeds that were done by her father (Faulkner 56). Secondly, finding loved ones can be another instance can bring the union of life and death. Homer Barron, who became Emily’s lover, came to the city with the construction company, and soon began to be seen with Miss Emily. The idea of love is brought out in the story when he says “Presently we began to see him and Miss Emily on Sunday afternoons driving in the yellow-wheeled buggy and the matched team of bays from the livery stable”( Faulkner 57). Car on its own shows how Miss Emily wanted to show off in some way, and it contributes to Miss Emily’s Character. The color of the car is yellow which would bring all attention to her persona. A team of bays underlines her fine roots that she is so proud off. Some of the town members were feeling sorry for her while others were happy that she finally found love.” Due to the love, she seemed to have got over the situation she was in since she could now be seen getting out of the house (Faulkner 58). Conclusion All in all, Miss Emily’s life influenced everyone’s view about her by being old fashion person that keeps herself away from the outer world. Her personality is full of mystery starting with father’s death and ending with gray hair on the pillow. The union of life and death in the character of Miss Emilly has been brought out in the story in both perspectives of acceptance and denial. The reactions of the people towards the subject of unity between life and death has also been brought to life denoting that those low in the society usually try as they could to attain this unity but those who are rich do not see much importance in this. In the story, Isolation has been the greatest aspect that has been tried to relate the union of life in Miss Emily’s character. Reference Faulkner, William. A Rose for Emily. Logan, Iowa: Perfection Learning Corp, 1990. Print. Read More