In the short story, A Rose for Emily, William Faulkner often resorts to the use of symbolism with the purpose of conveying its hidden implications. The symbol, which is most frequently met in this excellent piece of literature, is the symbol of the rose. A rose is a representation of love and confidentiality. Another symbol, which is commonly used in the short story, is Emily’s house. This is a representation of Emily’s entire life with its initial blossoming and final alienation. A yet another remarkable symbol to be noticed is hair, which is left on Emily’s pillow. Losing her hair is a tragedy for a woman, and this symbol is also an implication of Emily’s life tragedy as she loses her love and has a life of wasting. Overall, through a variety of effective symbols, Faulkner subtly tells the audience about his heroine’s life with all of its former glory and grief, faced during its final period.
Addressing symbolic implications in A Rose for Emily, the first sign to be discussed is definitely a rose because it is a central indication in the story, which is even seen in its title. A rose is a representation of Emily’s only true love, Homer. This man was the only chance for the main heroine to feel herself a woman, cherished and tenderly loved. Also, a rose is Emily’s secret because she never wanted the others to know about her inner feelings so she kept them as her treasure.
Next, it is important to give consideration to the symbol of a house. In the initial lines of this piece of literature we read, It was a big, squarish frame house that had once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the the seventies, set on what had once been our most select street. But garages and cotton gins had encroached and obliterated even the august names of that neighborhood; only Miss Emily’s house was left, lifting it’s stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumps – an eyesore among eyesores (Madden 907).
These few lines are filled with meaning. First, they tell about the former glory of “Old South” with its rich houses lined in long rows, situated on the central streets of cities and towns. Before, Emily’s house was the most beautiful house in the street, and so was her life – full of light colors and laughter. However, in time, the former glory faded away, and the house turned into grey ruins just like Emily’s life. In addition, the house is also a symbol of changes in society. People became owners of cotton gins and garages, and houses, such as Emily’s one, were no longer affordable for them. Also, Emily isolated herself from the new society in her house, and thus, it is the symbol of Emily’s alienation. Lastly, Emily utilizes her house as a shrine for Homer’s body, which suggests that it is also a symbol of death and decay.
Finally, another important symbol in this story is “iron-grey hair” on Emily’s pillow (Madden 910). This is a symbol of tragedy, failed love, and frustration. Emily’s tragedy is caused by her father’s attitude. He always thought his daughter was better than all men around her, and thus, he kept her away from them. As a result, Emily ended as a wretched lady.
In conclusion, the short story A Rose for Emily by Faulkner is remarkable for its abundance of meaningful symbols. By means of these symbols, the author subtly reveals his heroine’s tragedy.
References
Madden, Frank. Exploring Literature Writing and Arguing about Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and the Essay (5th Edition), Harlow: Longman, 2011. Print.