Analysis of semiotic codes in the William Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily”

Semiotics is the theory that investigates the way, how meaning in the texts are made, how reality
is described. It was proposed be Roland Barthes and its essence lied in the idea that meaning of
the text can be divided into five layers, so-called systems of codes. They include:
- Action Code or Proairetic Code – actions, that happened in the plot. That code also
includes the way how each action is described in the work (are actions shown or not, are
they described linearly or through flashbacks and flashforwards)
- Hermeneutic Code means reveling the truth about the puzzles or questions that appear in
the text
- Cultural Code reveals the connection of the text with knowledge and culture in the realite
outside the text
- Semic code description of characters in the narrative
Fabula of the story explained by proairetic (action) code: the situation when Miss Emily ignored
the explanation about her taxes – code “to ignore” (a deeper meaning that she still lives in the
past and inable to accept present)
Townspeople go to Emily’s funeral and complain about the bad smell – “to complain”
Situation where Emily’s father was alive and didn’t let her communitate with people that were
lower class than her – “to protect”
Miss Emily fells in love with a Yankee – “rebellion” (developing a relationship with low-class
person, that was frowned upon in her family)
Townspeople trying to separate Miss Emily from Homer Baron, because he was a gay –
“redemption”.
Disappointed Emily secluded herself in the house – “to isolate”
The townspeople investigate the house of the dead Emily – “to investigate”
They find the corpse of the Homer Baron, whom Emily killed – “to prevent” (present
Homer Baron from running away)
Hermeneutic codes – the main riddle of the story is what rose has to do with Emily (answer –
Emily herself is like a rose, because she can only be admired but not touched)
The next puzzle – the reason of the bad smell in the house (answer – the corpse of Homer Baron)
Cultural codes of the story:
A reference to the culture of southern honour – Emily paid no taxes, because Colonel Sartoris
made it by her father’s merit.
The black woman working as a servant for whiter.
The culture of parents’ behavior, which is seen in a way how Emily’s father treats her (children
were perceived as forms of clay that needed to be molded).
The townpeople’s opinion about Miss Emily – she has high status and reputation as honor
woman.
On the whole, “A Rose of Emily” constitutes a complex story with a bunch of social conflicts. A
meaning of the story can be revealed only with the deep level analysis of the story at all levels.
Roland Barthe’s theory of cultural codes helps to explore all the meaning of the text.

References used:
1. Satria, R. O. B. B. Y. "SEMIOTIC HIDDEN CODES IN THE SHORT STORY “A ROSE
FOR EMILY” BY WILLIAM FAULKNER." Menara Ilmu 12.7 (2018).