Biography William Faulkner Essay Example

a new city council takes over, however, they begin to tax her once again. She refuses to pay the taxes and appear before the sheriff, so the city authorities invite themselves into her house. When confronted on her tax evasion, Emily reminds them that she doesn't have to pay taxes in Jefferson and to speak to Colonel Sartoris, although he had died 10 years before.

In section two, the narrator explains that the Griersons had always been a very proud Southern family. Mr. Grierson, Emily’s father, believes no man is suitable for his daughter and doesn't allow her to date. Emily is largely dependent upon her father, and is left foundering when he dies. After Mr. Grierson's death, Emily does not allow the authorities to remove his body for three days, claiming he is still alive. Two years after her father’s death, her lover leaves her, and a strange smell starts emanating from the Grierson house. Section three introduces Emily’s beau, Homer Barron, a foreman from the north. Homer comes to Jefferson with a crew of men to build sidewalks outside the Grierson home.

After Emily and Homer are seen driving through town several times, Emily visits a druggist. There, she asks to purchase arsenic. The druggist asks what the arsenic is for since it was required of him to ask by law. Emily does not respond and coldly stares him down until he looks away and gives her the arsenic. When Emily opens the package, underneath the skull and bones sign is written, "For Rats. " Citizens of Jefferson believe that Miss Emily is going to commit suicide since Homer has not yet proposed in the beginning of

section four.

The townspeople contact and invite Emily's two cousins to comfort her. Shortly after their arrival, Homer leaves and then returns after the cousin leave Jefferson. After staying in Jefferson for one night, Homer is never seen again and is believed that he was driven away by Mr. Grierson’s spirit, which they say is “too virulent and too furious to die”. After Homer’s disappearance, Emily begins to age, gain weight, and is rarely seen outside of her home. Soon, Miss Emily passes away. The fifth and final section begins with Jefferson women entering the Grierson home. After they arrive, Emily's Negro servant leaves through the back door without saying a word.

After Emily's funeral, the townspeople immediately go through her house. They come across a room on the second floor which no one had seen in 40 years, and break the door down. They discover a dusty room strangely decorated as a bridal room.

The room contains a man's tie, suit and shoes, and a silver toilet set which Miss Emily had purchased for Homer years before his disappearance. Homer's remains lay on the bed, dressed in a nightshirt. Next to him is an impression of a head on a pillow where the townspeople find a single “long strand of iron-gray hair. It is thus implied that not only had Emily killed Homer with the arsenic, but also has had an intimate (possibly sexual) relationship with his corpse up to her own death. adolescence. Besides, social prejudice or judgments has a powerful strength for it can rise people up and get people down at the same time.

In fact, it is known that he drinks with younger men

in the Elks’ Club and he has remarked that he is not a marrying man. The lovers ignore the gossip of the town until Emily’s two female cousins from Alabama arrive. Homer leaves town for several days until the cousins go back to Alabama. Meanwhile, Emily purchases arsenic, a monogrammed toilet set with the initials H. B., and men’s clothing. Homer returns to Jefferson three days after Emily’s cousins leave and he is seen entering her home. He is never seen (alive) again. However, what is presumably his corpse is discovered in a ghastly bridal suite on the top floor of the Grierson house after Emily’s funeral.