LEWIS

PAULINE LEWIS
PROF. LEWIS
ENC 1102 – TEXTUAL ANALYSIS
MARCH 8, 2020
“A ROSE FOR EMILY” BY WILLIAM FAULKNER
MOCK TRIAL & TEXTUAL ANALYSIS

“A Rose for Emily” is the first published short story by William Faulkner, which through a

series of flashbacks unveils the tragic life of an elderly Southern woman named, Emily Grierson.

The story begins with a description of Emily’s funeral and all events leading up to her death. In

summary, “A Rose for Emily” tells the story of what is in fact a murder of Homer Barron, whom

was the spouse of Emily. It was on the day that Emily’s funeral was held did the townspeople

discover a decayed corpse of Homer inside Emily locked bedroom upstairs. By the events

presented to the story it’s safe to declare that Emily did in fact commit first degree murder of

Homer Barron by rat poison. In Section II, there are evidence of bizarre behaviors of Miss Emily:

when her father died she refused to believe it for four days (counting the day he died); the

summer after her father died, she finally gets a boyfriend (she's in her thirties); when worried

that her boyfriend might leave her, she bought some poison, her boyfriend disappeared, but

there was a foul smell around her house. This is technically having enough information to figure

everything out right here, but this is a textual analysis and I shall provide the evidence to prove,

beyond reasonable doubt Emily’s means, motive and opportunity.

At this point, it’s a rough outline of Emily's life, beginning with her funeral, going back

ten years to when the "newer generation" came to collect the taxes, and then back another

thirty some odd years to the death of Emily's father, the affair with Homer, and the

disappearance of Homer. The story winds down by filling us in on Miss Emily's circumstances

on in the 40 years between Homer's disappearance and Emily's funeral. Other than the

painting lessons, her life during this time is a mystery, because she stayed inside. Emily is

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the classic outsider, controlling and limiting the town’s access to her identity by remaining

hidden (No thanks to her father, she remained an introvert). The house that shields Emily from

the world suggests the mind of the woman who lives in it is shuttered, dusty, and dark. Being the

object of the town’s intense scrutiny and victim of their judgment, Emily is a muted and

mysterious figure. Throughout the story, Emily shows qualities of bizarre behavior due to her

tragic circumstances. Also, she enforces her own sense of law and conduct, such as when she

refuses to pay her taxes or state her purpose for buying the poison. Emily also goes against the

law when she refuses to have numbers attached to her house when federal mail service is

instituted. Her dismissal of the law eventually takes on more sinister consequences, as she takes

the life of Homer Barron whom she refuses to permit to abandon her.

Homer Barron is a stranger in town who works for the construction company responsible

for paving sidewalks. Homer is handsome and has a charm that caught the affection of Emily and

the attention of the townspeople. Some of the people of the town begin to gossip because he is

both a Northerner and day laborer, and his Sunday outings with Emily are in many ways

scandalous, because the townspeople regard Emily as a form of higher class. Homer’s failure to

properly court and marry Emily opened speculation and suspicion. Homer is known to hang with

younger men at the Elks Club, giving off the impression that he is a man who takes pride in being

single and uninterested of ever being married. He even says so himself that he is “not a

marrying man.” Yet because Homer is from North, his presence of change excites Emily (like

every new lover, there is thrill and excitement) which also sealed his fate as the victim of her

plan to keep him permanently by her side.

It is possible that Emily’s behavior took a major turn she was unable to admit that her

father has died, it was stated that Emily clanged to the controlling paternal figure whose denial

and control became the only—yet extreme—form of affection she knew. She gives up his body

only reluctantly. When Homer dies, Emily refuses to acknowledge it once again—although this

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point, she herself was chargeable for bringing about the death. In killing Homer, she was able

to keep him near her at least in her mind. The town would constantly gossip about Miss Emily

when she started dating Homer Barron. They wanted to hold her to the ideals of the royalty

status attached to her family name. It was only after the death of her father; Emily was able

to open herself to the likes of Homer Barron. This of course did not sit well with some of the

townspeople whom, whom believed at first it was just nobles-oblige. When it was evident

that it was more than that – the town was more approving when Emily’s two cousins would

come over, as if it was their presence that would remind Emily of her place.

Even though this story seems all jumbled up chronologically, the climax comes roughly

within the middle of the story. Homer probably was the impression of a rat, one which noble Miss

Emily would have felt perfectly within her rights right to exterminate. Yet, she also wanted to

hold tight to the dream of being married and that she might have a normal life, with love and a

family. When she sees that everyone – the townspeople, the minister, her cousins, and even

Homer himself – is constantly gossiping and messing up her plans, she has an extreme reaction.

As the subject of gossip and speculation, the townspeople disapprove Emily’s acceptance of

Homer with no firm wedding plans. Emily buys the arsenic, and at that moment thoughts of

suicide is was the gossip of the townspeople. The town is tense over whether they are married,

soon will be, or never are going to be. Their reactions range from murderous, to pitying, to

downright interference. We also learn that Homer Barron was last seen entering the residence of

Miss Emily Grierson on the night in question. Though this can be evidence that proves something

suspenseful, it’s is already obvious what happened.

After Emily purchases the poison, the townspeople conclude that she's going to kill herself.

Emily’s instabilities, however, lead her in a different direction, and the final scene of the story

suggests that she is a necrophiliac - typically means someone who has a sexual attraction to

dead bodies. This can also serve as evidence that Emily is a narcissist a powerful desire to

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control another. She ultimately resorts to bonding with unresponsive entities with no resistance

or will—in other words, with dead bodies. Mr. Grierson controlled Emily, and after his death,

Emily temporarily controls him by refusing to let go of his corpse. She ultimately transfers this

control to Homer, the man of her affection. Unable to seek out a standard way to express her

desire to possess Homer, Emily takes his life to gain total power over him.

Only a few specific dates are mentioned in the story but being that this is a textual

analysis there are some events that build up a timeframe. First, Colonel Sartoris remits Miss

Emily's taxes in 1894, and that he has been dead for at least 10 years when she confronts the

new aldermen. Also, Emily dies at the age of 74.

Section II: Emily and her father ride around the town in a carriage.

Emily’s father dies, and for three days she refuses to accept his death.

A horrible stench comes from Emily's house.

Four town aldermen secretly sprinkle lime on her lawn.

Section III: Homer Barron arrives in town and begins to court Emily.

The town relegates her to disgrace and sends for her cousins.

Emily buys poison at the local drug store.

Section IV: Emily buys Homer gifts— a mirror, brush, a comb and men's clothing.

Emily’s cousins arrive, and Homer leaves town.

Three days after the cousins leave, Homer returns.

Homer disappears.

Upon Homers arrival back, this was the opportunity Emily had to poison and keep him

from ever leaving her again. Cleary just like the townspeople, Emily to was worried if Homer was
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ever coming back. So, looking at the central events chronologically, Miss Emily buys poison,

Homer Barron disappears suddenly, and a horrible stench surrounds the house — it is apparent

why she buys the poison, and what causes the stench. The only surprise would be the shocking

realization that Miss Emily has slept for many years in the same bed with her dead lover's rotting

corpse. The horror of this knowledge stays as a horrified discovery and how Emily was a so-called

noble woman is now a "fallen monument."

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