Symbolism in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

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Symbolism in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner William Faulkner used a great deal of symbolism in this story. His use of symbolism captivated the reader until the shocking end of the story. Some of the symbolism was blatant while some was vague and disguised. While Faulkner’s use of the color white in this story wasn’t obvious at first it soon becomes clear that the color white represents innocence and youth. The Grierson house was white and when Miss Emily was a young girl she wore white dresses as opposed to the black attire she wore in her latter years. This represents the innocence of Miss Emily before she becomes a victim of herself and her refusal to change. The yellow color of the wheels of the buggy Miss Emily and Homer Baron rode around town in represented Homer’s cowardice toward marriage. Another color Faulkner used as symbolism was the color red. Red is the color of love and the bedroom in the upstairs of the house was decorated in red symbolizing her love for Homer. Homer was symbolic too. He represented the North so even though he was Miss Emily’s love he was also her antagonist. When the druggist writes “for rats” on the arsenic it is symbolic of Homer. He was a “rat” that came into town and took advantage of Miss Emily because he had no intention of marrying her or staying with her because he was a non-secretive homosexual or bi-sexual ‘Homer himself remarked—he liked men”. Miss Emily’s hair was symbolic in several ways. First, after her father dies, she cuts it short symbolizing her freedom from her father’s controlling ways. When she is old, it becomes iron gray symbolizing strength and strong will since iron is a very strong element. Miss Emily got that strength from her father. When... ... middle of paper ... ... Homer’s initials in the bedroom represented Emily’s tarnished reputation because of Homer. Miss Emily herself was symbolic in this story. In the beginning she was young and vibrant like the South used to be but toward the end she was unkempt and ugly characterizing the unhealthy traditions of the Old South and its stubborn followers. Her conflict was symbolic of the conflict of acceptance versus unacceptance that was present in the South at that time. The rose was also symbolic in this story. The rose is sometimes a symbol for silence or secrecy so something said or done is not to be repeated. The rose represented the secret that was upstairs hidden away from the rest of the world, Homer’s dead body. Miss Emily had preserved it much like someone would preserve a rose. Miss Emily’s “preserving” Homer was symbolic of her ultimate refusal to accept change.

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