William Faulkner's Speech Put to Test in a Rose for Emily

On December 10, 1950, William Faulkner won a Nobel Prize and gave an acceptance speech in Stockholm Sweden. In his speech he explained his trust and advice for future writers, and mentioned the importance to put their soul, sweat, agony, and heart into their work, only then can true work come about. As Faulkner spoke of this, it can only be wondered how this applies to his very dark short story, A Rose for Emily. This creepy text could be automatically by cast out as a depressing story about a woman who could never let go, but once put into deep physiological thought, it could be seen as an excellent example for Faulkner’s speech. A Rose for Emily displays the courage, heroic, and compassion the writer needs through the characteristics of Emily.

When a person first reads the quote of advice, they imagine a story that displays a perfectly happy image, but even the eeriness of Emily displayed the courage the writer needs to possess. Throughout the short text, Emily had done some outlandish things, and every single one of them needed immense amounts of courage. The craziest of her activities was killing her lover, Homer Barron, so she could be with him for the rest of her life. In the beginning of the text it is explained that her past lover had ditched her, and Emily had courage to be able to make sure her lover would not leave her once again. She had bought poison and other accessories to make her man be homely, and to stay put at her house. Also, why she is considered courageous is because she doesn’t let the people of her town change her ways. She keeps her head held high through her entire life. When Homer enters the story he also brings a new sense of courage for the character Emily.

The entire town in the short story, A Ro...

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... for the future of writers, and even dedicated his Nobel Prize to those who were to stand up there in his place one day. He encouraged the young woman and men to have the courage to be a writer who dares the limits. Faulkner was the type of writer to test every possibility of writing and wasn’t scared to kill off characters in a dramatic tense. Because of the courage he had during his work he had won a Nobel Prize, and had his works remembered throughout the years and into the new generations. A Rose for Emily was possibly one of his greatest works exhibiting his recommendations for writers. Emily Grierson had a numerous amount of odd characteristics that almost shadowed all of Faulkner’s suggestions, but that’s what helped make the text a great piece. Emily had courage, pity, and heroism all around and within her, they were just presented in the most unusual ways.