A Rose For Emily

Setting, Characterization and Point of View in "A Rose for Emily"

"A Rose for Emily" gives the readers the feeling that they are a member of the community, experiencing the same things as the whole town does, which is curious about Miss Emily. Living in an unhappy environment can affect the personality of a person. William Faulkner uses the setting, characterization, and the point of view to show that individuals can be unusual by the way they are faced.

Living in a small town of the South people can change behavior and actions because they can be the center of the attention. Miss Emily the main character of the story was raised in a rich family, and this made her a proud and a self-important person. "I have no taxes in Jefferson. Colonel Satoris explained it to me. Perhaps one of you can gain access to the city records and satisfy yourselves." (29). This incident with mayor of the town shows her pride. However, Miss Emily is the center of the attention in Jefferson. The author at the very beginning of the story states, "When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen moment, the women mostly out of curiosity to see inside the house" (28). This second quote shows that everybody of the town was interested in Miss Emily, and this made her a mysterious person who her life could only be revealed by her death. Her life became very mysterious for the people of the town because she chooses to stay away form the society. "When we next saw Miss Emily, she had grown fat and her hair was turning gray." (33). Miss Emily decided to live for many years as a loner, someone who has withdrawn from a community to live in isolation.

Faulkner uses characterization to examine that the environment which somebody is surrounded can have a big influence. Miss Emily's father's protection had a big authority to her life. "We remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will" (31). This example proves that her father robs her from many of life's necessities. She misses out on having friends, being a normal woman, and her ability to be happy. In addition, her father became the main male figure in her life. His death was one of the reasons that she removed her from society. "After her father's death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people hardly saw her at all" (30). This quote tells that the death of her father and the shattered relationship with Homer, her sweetheart, contributed to her seclusion; moreover, Homer Baron was the second male figure of her life. Miss Emily's environment resulted in the murder of Homer.