A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner vividly depicts the gradual decline of the Southern aristocracy in the Civil War aftermath. The author’s intentions are achieved primarily through the extensive use of symbols within the story. In particular, the symbol of the house is of primary importance, since it stands for the demise of the Pre-Civil War epoch.
The author develops this symbolism through several clues, incorporated within the narrative for readers to discover. Indeed, extensive descriptions of the Griersons’ mansion vividly represent the deterioration of their pre-Civil War well-being. For instance, Emily’s house is filled with objects representing the past, such as her father’s crayon portrait, “tarnished” items, and “cracked” furniture (Faulkner 51). The Negro butler at Emily’s house is also perceived as a relic since the range of his tasks becomes limited to letting visitors in and out, and therefore his services are needless.
The author deliberately mentions the former splendor of the house, which “had once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies…” (Faulkner 49). However, over time, the luxurious appearance of the house and its prestigious location come to nothing: “only Miss Emily’s house was left, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumps-an eyesore among eyesores” (Faulkner 49). In other words, Emily’s old-fashioned house becomes opposed to the present-day industrial area around it. Hence, the author emphasizes the conflict between Emily and her community, which is a driving force of the story.
The author identifies the decaying symbolism of the house in the text through the author’s constant mentions of dust, which fills the Griersons’ mansion: “faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils” (Faulkner 61). Stagnation is further emphasized by the use of adjectives “even,” “patient,” and “biding”: “…beside him lay that even coating of the patient and biding dust” (Faulkner 61). In such a manner, the author highlights that the time stood still in the Griersons’ mansion for years. Furthermore, dust defines a specific smell and atmosphere of the house in general: “…a dim hall… smelled of dust and disuse – a close, dank smell” (Faulkner 50). Later on, terrible malodor starts emanating from the house outside, which naturally disturbs Jefferson’s townspeople.
Emily Grierson’s denial of the new reality and reluctance to adapt to new social norms gradually lead to her isolation from the community of Jefferson. As a result, the dusty house becomes Emily’s only shelter from the contemporary world: “And so she died. Fell ill in the house filled with dust and shadows” (Faulkner 59). The reader perceives this fundamental opposition between Emily and her community when townsmen enter the house: “…a faint dust rose sluggishly about their thighs…” (Faulkner 51); “The violence of breaking down the door seemed to fill this room with pervading dust” (Faulkner 60). As one can easily observe, entering the house is described as a transfer to another universe – the world of the past, where dust is the only thing that welcomes Jefferson townspeople. The biblical “dust to dust” concept is another significant association, which further supplements the symbolism of the house.
Thus, Emily’s house symbolizes the decay of the pre-Civil War upper class, who failed to accept the inevitable changes and new values established in the New South. Through the extensive descriptions of the Griersons’ house, William Faulkner emphasizes the necessity to adapt to new conditions of life. The author consistently develops the deteriorating symbolism of the house by repeatedly using specific lexical units, such as “dust,” “tarnished,” and the like. Due to the presence of this symbol, readers perceive the literary work as not only Emily Grierson’s life story but as a representation of a historically significant shift in the U.S. worldview.
Work Cited
Faulkner, William. Selected Short Stories of William Faulkner. New York: Modern Library, 1961.