A Rose for Emily Analysis Notes Essay Example

first indication of this was when Miss Emily refused to pay taxes. She believed her family to be powerful and exempt from such obligations in the town of Jefferson. When the Board of Aldermen visited her years before her death to discuss the taxes, they could hear the ticking of her pocket watch concealed somewhere in her clothing and body.

The text suggests that time holds deep significance for Miss Emily. It is portrayed as a mysterious and intangible force that she is acutely aware of. Each passing moment represents a diminishing chance for her to find happiness. The symbol of time is further highlighted through Emily's hair. Initially, the town gauges time by observing the state of her hair. Later, as it turns "a vigorous iron-gray, like the hair of an active man," she withdraws into her house, no longer leaving. At this point, the town now looks to Tobe's hair to track the passage of time, witnessing it also turn gray.

The strand of Emily's hair discovered on Homer's pillow is also a time-teller, although its precise indication remains uncertain. The author informs us that it had been 40 years since Homer Barron's resting place had last been opened, coinciding with the length of time he had been missing. However, Emily's hair didn't turn "iron-gray" until around 1898, which was several years after Homer's demise. The druggist inscribes on Emily's arsenic container, beneath the poison symbol, "For rats."

Regarding Homer's promise to marry Emily, if he were to break it, she would likely view him as untrustworthy, based on the southern tradition. The narrative primarily explores the transformations occurring in the South after the Civil War.

Miss Emily represents a preserved embodiment of southern customs and serves as an ideal representative of past values. The older generations of the Old South were rapidly deteriorating due to shifting traditions and mannerisms. Following Miss Emily's passing, both she and her house become symbols of a fading generation.

Examining the Setting in "A Rose for Emily"

The layers of dust also symbolize the veil of secrecy shrouding Emily's true essence and the concealed secrets within her residence.

When the aldermen arrive to collect Emily's yearly tax payment, the house has a distinct smell of "dust and disuse." The power that Emily's father holds over her is evident in a portrait of the two characters described by the narrator: "Emily, a slender woman dressed in white, is positioned in the background, while her father's silhouette is sprawled in the foreground, with his back towards her and tightly clutching a horsewhip." This image effectively symbolizes how he controls her, similar to taming a horse, preventing her from dating anyone. This control persists until his death, leaving Emily isolated. The rose serves as a representation of Emily and the traditional lifestyle of the Southern region.

Despite its loveliness and enviable qualities in its prime, the South was not without its share of difficulties. With its good weather, beautiful ladies, wealthy landowners, and overall prosperity, there was an ugly blot on the region - slavery - hence the thorns. The rose can also symbolize sympathy towards Miss Emily's longing for love, but ultimately finding solace in embracing the dead.