Emily's Gray Hair Beside Homer example essay topic

April 18, 2000 English II People who read about William Faulkner (1897-1962) know that he did not lead an easy life. He had the bad habit of drinking way too much, but above all he was very lonely. In his short story? A Rose For Emily, ? Emily becomes very important because it represents in some way Faulkner himself. Even though she was perceived as an idol from the town, she felt very lonely.

Everyone in town considered Emily as monument, and if you describe something as a monument, you mean that it is a very good example of the results or effects of those qualities, such as her father. Her father was a great person who was respected by everyone, and the town thought that Emily would take her father's place. After Emily's father's death, the situation changed, but people in town did not notice it. Emily became depressed. People also thought that she had a strong personality because she dominated the neighbors. Of course, the town members, who are perhaps represented by the unnamed narrator, were ready to get rid of this weight, but in some way they were tied down.

Her father was the last that surrounded her. They found it impossible to directly confront her – to evict her for not paying taxes to approach her about the awful stench coming from her house. Also, when she went to the drugstore and requested the best poison that exist, arsenic, the pharmacist asked her? Why she wanted this poison?? He proceeded and said? The law requires you to tell what you are going to use it for.?

She did not answer to his question, but the pharmacist let her go because she dominated him. Once again she succeeded in confronting people in the town and the authorities. They were trapped by their own belief that Emily was untouchable. The town did not face her directly and did not deal with her as an equal. A monument can also be interpreted as something that is immobile, that does not move.

Now and then people would see her in one of the downstairs windows. She was standing silently without motion like someone famous who is posing in a scene or for a picture. Most of the time, The erection of a monument is an honor made to someone who did something special. A monument represents someone that has been popular during a certain period of time, like the Grierson's were.

Emily's isolation plays another major role in this story because it is the reason of her behavior. Emily's father did not like to be lonely, therefore he kept her beside him until his death. This fear of being alone was inherited to Emily, who first would try to keep her father's body in the house and later would do anything to maintain Homer by her side. Her father robbed her of a husband and a female's existence that can find fulfillment only through marriage. Her father did not want her to get engaged because he did not want to see his daughter leaving him, not being at his side. However, marriage-not virginity-was Emily's primary concern, and the murder of Homer Barron attempted to keep some form of marriage.

It is interesting to note the importance of the last paragraph when they found Emily's gray hair beside Homer? Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair.? This situation makes believe that Emily slept besides him every night until she died. This can reflect how much she was obsessed by Homer and her father, consequently of being alone. In fact, she killed Homer for having his company the rest of her life, and this is probably why she stayed with him all the time before she died.