Rose for Emily - short story analysis

Essay by savitska112Junior High, 9th gradeA, September 2007

download word file, 12 pages 3.0

Parents and the childhood experiences are the most powerful influences on one's life. Although one has a lifetime to develop his own views and characteristics, it is the childhood period that is the most important in acquiring fundamental perceptions on life and knowledge of morality. The Rocking-Horse Winner by D.H. Lawrence and A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner show how upbringing effects one's life and mental state. In both stories incompetent parenting causes the main characters to develop unhealthy obsessions, which eventually lead to the destruction of their mental state. Children's susceptible minds may be influenced by misconceptions and immoral views of their parents. Youngsters tainted by unfit parenting may develop obsession, which leads to destruction of their mental state. Unhealthy obsession causes one to become socially isolated from others. As obsessive compulsion develops, one submerges into a world of delusion and becomes detached from reality. Incompetent parents cause children to develop destructive obsession that results in mental imprisonment.

Children's vulnerable minds may be influenced by the distorted views and values of their parents. The childhood years are very important in forming one's identity and beliefs. In the story A Rose for Emily Miss Emily Grierson's upbringing had a huge impact on her. She was raised by her father who is described as a typical gentleman of the old south; he was proud of his high status and considered the Griersons superior to the other townspeople. Mr. Grierson had a dominating and controlling effect on Miss Emily's life. The townspeople thought of their relationship as a picture: "Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip, the two of them framed by the back-flung front door." (Faulkner 205). This image shows...