A Rose For Emily

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 12th grade April 2001

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In the short story, "A Rose for Emily," the author, William Faulkner, narrates a story of a woman who isolates herself from the community after the death of her father. During this period in her life, she falls in love with guy named Homer. As she experiences love for the first time in her life, Miss Grierson's relationship with Homer becomes ill and eventually short-lived. Miss Grierson is a woman that feels superior to the town, is stubborn, and becomes isolated. The story takes place in the early 1900's in a small town.

Miss Grierson comes from a prominent family, whose voice is very big in the small town she lives in. In a way, she feels superior by this. She thinks that she can get what she wants, when she wants it and the townspeople are at her mercy. As she walks down the streets, she displays an attitude of greatness towards the general public.

For example, Miss Grierson did not pay her taxes. She blatantly avoided contact with the tax collectors The town sent her numerous letters notifying her of the taxes she owed, but she gladly refused by saying, "I have no taxes in Jefferson." She claimed that there were city records saying that her taxes need not be paid.

Miss. Grierson displayed traits of being a stubborn woman. Once, she went to the store where she tried to buy rat poison. The druggist tried to explain and give her different choices, but Miss Grierson became agitated and sternly said, " I want arsenic." The two entered into a stare down and eventually, Miss Grierson came out with her arsenic. This is an example of how she was stubborn and always got what she wanted.

After her father died, Miss Grierson became isolated...