A Rose for EmilyBy William Faulkner

(Katelyn and Rachel)

Structure Broken into five sections Starts with the funeral and ends with

her death Many flashbacks

Part 1 Plot Summary The narrator recalls the funeral for

Emily Many people attended because they

wanted to see the inside of her house No one has been in her house in 10

years except her servant, Tobe She never paid her taxes

Part 2 Plot Summary 30 years earlier The townspeople complain about the

odor coming from Emily’s house They trespass into her property to try

and rid the smell We find out her father had died and her

sweetheart had left her (still single by age 30)

Took her 3 days to turn over her father’s body

Part 3 Plot Summary Takes place before part 2 Emily starts to become ill She meets Homer who is a

construction worker and he isn’t accepted into her social class

Her reputation is compromised She bought poison, “for the rats”

Part 4 Plot Summary The townspeople call upon Emily’s

family to come and stay with her The townspeople are hopeful for Emily’s

marriage with Homer She buys the toilet set and nice men’s

clothing Homer enters Emily’s home and is never

seen again (only the servant is seen entering and leaving her house)

Emily ages and falls ill and dies

Part 5 Plot Summary Emily’s body is laid out in the parlor Everyone from town and Emily’s two cousins

attend her funeral The find a door that has been sealed for 40

years and the townspeople break into the room They find all the items Emily had bought in

hopes for her marriage and Homer’s decayed body

They also find an indention in the pillow next to Homer with a gray hair suspected to be Emily’s

Characterization of Emily She’s a creep The classic outsider Hides her true identity from the town House shields herself and represents

her Enforces her own sense of law and

conduct Pitied by the townspeople Takes Homer’s life to achieve total

power over him

Characterization of Homer Also an outsider and a stranger to

town Initially becomes the center of

attention but is soon distrusted because he is from the North and is a laborer

Outings with Emily were scandalous because he is from a lower class

Is portrayed as a homosexual (enjoyed going to bars with younger men)

Theme Impact of Death:

• Through the death of her father, Emily begins to lose her morals and her sanity

• Goes from being charming and beautiful to decrepit and lonely

• She has a bizarre relationship to dead bodies of men that she once loved

• She wants to fuse life and death but ultimately death triumphs

Symbolisim Her house:

• Represents Emily and her dark side and her sheltered nature

The strand of her hair:• Represents love lost, and perverse things

that people do for their pursuit of happiness

Overall Point Emily’s odd actions towards the men

she loved demonstrates her need for control and acceptance in her broken life.

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