Introduction
Is loneliness a limitation that prevents one from enjoying life or an escape in situations where one loses the reason for living? In the story “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, the theme of loneliness pervades the narrative, casting a dark shadow over the main character’s life. Instances, including Emily Grierson’s non-acceptance of her father’s death, the rejection by her sweetheart, and her relationship with Homer Barron, depict the profound isolation that Emily experiences. Therefore, the theme of loneliness is crucial to understanding the plot and the transformation of the main character of “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner.
Loneliness in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
Emily’s inability to accept her father’s death exemplifies the importance of loneliness in the story. The narrative reveals how she refuses to acknowledge his death while interfering with the funeral, forcing people to resort to extremes: “Just as they were about to resort to law and force, she broke down, and they buried her father quickly” (Faulkner, 1930, p. 3). It illustrates that Emily’s fear of loneliness was willing to conflict with society and deny the obvious.
The fear of loneliness is further evident in the description of Emily after her father’s death: “Miss Emily met them at the door, dressed as usual and with no trace of grief on her face” (Faulkner, 1930, p. 3). In this description, Faulkner portrays the severity of Emily’s dread of isolation as she desperately denies the fact of her father’s death. Thus, the non-acceptance of her father’s death is the primary instance that refers to loneliness as one of the story’s key themes.
A significant example of the loneliness theme in “A Rose for Emily” is the plot element describing Emily being deserted by her beloved. This event in the story does not provide much detail and refers to the fact that it occurred after her father’s death: “That was two years after her father’s death and a short time after her sweetheart – the one we believed would marry her – had deserted her” (Faulkner, 1930, p. 2). Despite the lack of detail, this episode is crucial to the plot since it represents a key factor in developing the theme of loneliness.
In this aspect, the narrator states: “After her father’s death, she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away, people hardly saw her at all” (Faulkner, 1930, p. 2). Thus, the character of Emily’s beloved is crucial to establishing loneliness and isolation from society as one of the leading themes of the story. In general, the sweetheart’s departure conveys a critical moment for developing the theme of loneliness, leading to Emily’s final refusal to interact with people.
The most disturbing manifestation of Emily’s loneliness is her relationship with Homer Barron. Initially, the appearance of Homer’s character figures is an element of the plot that ends Emily’s loneliness. It is also evident in the narrator’s comments: “Then we were sure that they were to be married” (Faulkner, 1930, p. 5).
Thus, the isolation theme is interrupted and is no longer the central one. However, further plot development reveals that Emily and Homer’s relationship is the most explicit depiction of loneliness. Faulkner discloses this aspect at the end of the story in the scene where the people find the remains of Barron and, in the narrator’s words, “Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head” (Faulkner, 1930, p. 7).
At this point, the reader realizes that Emily has lived with Homer’s corpse for years and killed him so as not to lose him as a father and beloved. This grim act indicates Emily’s isolation, further emphasizing the overarching theme of solitude in the story. Therefore, the theme of loneliness climaxes exactly in Emily’s relationship with Homer.
Conclusion
Loneliness is one of the major themes in “A Rose for Emily,” as it directly determines the plot’s development and significantly influences Emily’s character. In this story, loneliness is not static and undergoes profound changes, considerably changing the main character’s perception. It is possible to distinguish three main elements in the development of loneliness, which include the loss of a father, a sweetheart, and the relationship between Emily and Homer Barron. In the course of these events, the impact of loneliness on the main character becomes increasingly profound and, as a result, leads to a final loss of perception of objective reality. Overall, the theme of loneliness is central to this story by William Faulkner, as it directly shapes the portrayal of Emily and affects several other characters.
Reference
Faulkner, W. (1930). A Rose for Emily. The Forum.