132 A Rose for Emily Essay Topics & Examples

If you struggle to write a character analysis, essay, or even a sole thesis statement for A Rose for Emily, this article will be helpful. Our experts have gathered titles so that you can explore the story’s symbolism, isolation, death, and more.

Tip #1. Select your topic.

A professor may assign a certain topic. In this case, think about the type of your future paper: whether it is a critical review or literary analysis.

Understanding the essay type will help you narrow your research focus.
In case you can choose A Rose for Emily essay topics on your own, you’ll have to do a little more work.

You must brainstorm ideas and pick up the one that you find interesting. You can use IvyPanda paper samples as a source of inspiration.

Tip #2. Outline your ideas.

The next step in your writing is an organisation of your thoughts. You can use mind mapping tools or simply put your thoughts to paper. This exercise will allow you to organize A Rose for Emily essay ideas and key arguments into the logical flow.

Tip #3. Compose A Rose for Emily thesis statement.

The next step after you have chosen a topic, you need to master a thesis statement. It should state the topic and provide your point of view.

Tip #4. Write the essay body.

You may say that the introduction should come first in the paper. Although, we suggest you to write the body.

Each paragraph must start with an introductory sentence where you point the issue you’re going to discuss in it. Then add supporting arguments and examples. Divide each idea into a separate section.

Tip #5. Write A Rose for Emily essay introduction.

After you’ve mastered the thesis and body of your essay, it’s time to write an intro. Here’re some essentials you must know when composing it: first, start with an attention grabbing hook.

Then reveal your thesis statement. As an attention grabber you can use a quote or a story. Make sure it connects with your thesis statement.

Tip #6. Write A Rose for Emily essay conclusion.

In conclusion, you should sum up all the ideas you represented in the essay. Write three to five strong sentences that review key points and restate your thesis statement.

Tip #7. Add finishing touches.

The final stage of essay writing is a revision. Read your essay once or twice and pay attention to the small details: the paragraph order; grammar, punctuation and spelling mistakes, etc. Check if the paper meets all the instructions and the chosen citation style fits the requirements.

At this step you may want to add a few phrases or sentences for a better connection of your thoughts and ideas.

Ask your somebody to proofread the essay in case you might miss any mistake.

That’s all. Seven simple steps will help you to write an A+ paper. Now you know how to compose your essay.

Do you find yourself wondering what you can discuss in A Rose for Emily essay? Grab some sample topic questions below:

• What is the role of the southern storytelling style in the story?
• Does the non-chronological order of story affect readers’ perception? How?
• How does the author build suspense? Is it effective?
• Why did the murderer of Homer Barron remain unknown until Emily’s death?
• Analyze the portrayal of social structure of the South in the book. How does Faulkner describe changes in the early twentieth century?

If you want more helpful samples and suggestions to help you achieve your best, check our website!

🏆 Best A Rose for Emily Essay Prompts & Examples

1. William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” Reaction Paper
   In this reaction paper to one of the most prominent Faulkner’s works, I attempt to describe and analyze the strategies that the author used to make this conflict acute and sympathetic to the reader.
2. Importance of Point of View in “A Rose for Emily”
   On the one hand, it depends on the person who is telling the story; on the other hand, it is determined by the level of the narrator’s awareness.
3. Critique for ‘A Rose for Emily’
   The focus of this paper is to analyze the article, A Romance to Kill For: Homicidal Complicity in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” published in the journal of Studies in Short Fiction in terms of […]
4. The Symbolism of the House in “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner
   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”.
5. “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner: The Last Paragraph
   Although he uses the aspect of foreshadowing to relate to the tragic end of the story, the final paragraph comes as a shock to the reader.
6. Nobility vs. Femininity: Overcoming Gender Norms in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
   The plot of the story follows the life and death of a Southern woman Emily Grierson, mostly in the period after the Civil War.
7. “A Rose for Emily” by W. Faulkner: Symbolism and Themes
   In “A Rose for Emily,” the theme of adapting to the changing environment is developed through the character of Miss Grierson and her reluctance to the changes.
8. A Rose for Emily: Faulkner’s Short Story vs. Chubbuck’s Film
   Curry believed that the “stylistics of Faulkner’s language…serves to subordinate Emily, ostensibly the subject of the tale, and to elevate the town as the truer subject”.
9. Binary Opposition in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
   To transmit the message, Faulkner uses three binary oppositions: death life, the old the new, and the North the South. In this passage, Emily is compared to the soldiers who fell in the Civil War […]
10. Social Picture of US Southern Society: “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
    In the short story, Faulkner portrays that the beginning of the 1900s was marked by great social and economic changes but many people fail to accommodate their life to new social relations and a new […]
11. Emily Grierson in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
    The character of Emily Grierson in William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily”, leaves the reader in dilemma as to whether Emily is the protagonist or the antagonist.
12. A Rose for Emily Literary Analysis
    To gain an understanding of the story within a brief analysis, it is necessary to examine the story’s plot, characterization, point of view, theme, symbols, and setting.
13. A Rose for Emily
    A rose for Emily is one of the books that is rich in styles that are employed to bring a clear picture of the theme story.
14. A Rose for Emily and The Yellow Wallpaper: Compare & Contrast
    That is one of the main dangers that people should be aware of. This is one of the main points that can be made.
15. Plot Means in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
    The frozen in time quality of the setting, combined with the images of “coquettish decay,” underscore Miss Emily Grierson’s inability to free herself from the memory of her father and of the past.
16. Protagonist’s Choices in Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily
    Arguably, Emily’s actions and choices in life are wrong and in contrast to the social expectations because of the impact her overly controlling and manipulative father had on her early upbringing.
17. Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily and Wright’s The Man Who Was Almost a Man
    William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily, set in Jefferson during the decades preceding and following the start of the twentieth century, depicts how an innocent girl, Emily Grierson, is driven to madness.
18. The Lost Cause Interpretation of Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
    Another interesting feature of the story is the couple of main topics of the work: the changes in the South and societal issues in general.
19. William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and the Confederacy
    The third element of the Lost Cause myth is that the Confederacy was lost as a result of the high numerical that the Northern states had.
20. Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”: Discussion and Analysis
    The author emphasizes the theme of gender roles and their perception in the story of Emily and the rest of the town.
21. “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner
    In conclusion, A Rose for Emily is an excellent example of the Southern Gothic genre. A Rose for Emily illustrates the Southern Gothic genre by reating it to Homer’s murder.
22. Gender Roles in “A Rose for Emily”: Quotation Analysis
    This quote can be used to emphasize how detached from the human essence and, accordingly, the gender of Miss Emily is reflected by the author.
23. O’Brien’s The Things They Carried and Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily
    It further assesses the impact of the mode in which the information in the books is arranged compared to if it were set in a sequential manner.
24. Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” as Gothic Romance
    In the story, the reader can share the experience of necrophilia and explore the components of decay by observing Emily who plays a dual part as both the subject and the object of necrophilia.
25. “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner and “Those Who Walk Away From Omelas” by Le Guin
    In a way, the narrator serves as a guide in the made-up city that seems utopian until the readers find out about the child suffering in the basement and guaranteeing the happiness of everybody else […]
26. Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”: Emily Grierson Characteristics
    The death of her father comes as a relief to her. Society wants her to live in the past that is already behind her.
27. The Use of Symbolic Meaning in “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner
    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. Also, Emily isolated herself […]
28. “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner, “The Handsomest Man Drowned in the World” by Marques, and “Cathedral” by Carver
    Initially, it seems to them that this is just some see animal or even whale though later they understand that this is the body of a human being.

📌 Good A Rose for Emily Essay Prompts

1. William Faulkner: Symbols in the Narrative of “A Rose for Emily”
   In the first place, the family house where Emily and her deceased father lived is one of the central symbolic images of the story.
2. Themes and Writing Styles in “A Rose for Emily” and “The House on Mango Street”
   The House on Mango Street is a work of fiction, but the author breaks the conventional rules of form and plot.
3. Women’s Character in Hurston’s “Sweat” and Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
   The theme of the story is to present the character of a “lady” and her behavior in society, her actions, and justifications for them.
4. Miss Emily Grierson’s Character Analysis: “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
   Her assumed insanity was to be expected after all the things she has endured the loss of a mother while growing up, the death of a father, the sudden loss of a charmed way of […]
5. A Rose for Emily: A Short Story by William Faulkner
   However, in the course of the third part of the story, Faulkner quickly shifts from Miss Emily and Homer conjuring up some form of a relationship to discussing her purchasing the poison.
6. “A Rose for Emily” and “Letter of John Rolfe”
   An illustration to explain that this is nonfiction is the fact that it states, “This is a copy of the gentleman’s letters to Sir Thomas Dale.
7. A Rose for Emily by Faulkner: Garrison’s Analysis
   In his examination of the story “A Rose for Emily,” Garrison presents an entirely different method of examination as compared to previous critiques of the story wherein he focuses on the way in which the […]
8. A Rose for Emily and A Good Man Is Hard to Find
   In order to highlight this idea, the writers focus on the values and worldviews of the characters who prefer to live in the imaginary world of their past.
9. “A Rose for Emily” and “The Snows of Kilimanjaro”
   Having started with the announcement of her death, the author then reveals the main facts of her life from the point of view of the community of the city.
10. Grotesque in “A Rose for Emily” by W. Faulkner
    One of the most appealing aspects of William Faulkner’s short story A Rose for Emily is that the readers’ exposure to the main character of Emily Grierson provides them with a better understanding of what […]
11. Literature Studies: William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily
    The author focuses on the life of Emily Grierson who once belonged to the Southern aristocracy; however, she is forced to adjust to the changes that American society underwent. This is one of the main […]
12. Character Analysis of A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner
    This essay discusses the character of the Townspeople with regard to the development of the themes and plot of the story.
13. A Rose for Emily and The Guest
    After such an examination, a comparison will be done with the character of the Arab with the climax of the examination of the character culminating in the scene involving the 1,000 francs and the decision […]
14. Aspect of Human Experience
    Faulkner presents death in the story through death-haunted life of Emily. Emily also refuses to acknowledge the death of Homer, though she was responsible for his death.
15. Relationships in the Small Town: “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
    In this passage, close to the end of the short story A Rose for Emily, and at the end of Miss Emily’s life as an eccentric figure in the life of the town, Faulkner literally […]
16. Social Victimization in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
    This is because it was namely the fact that, ever since her early years Emily was indoctrinated to believe that she had no other option but to live up to the expectations of her traditionally […]
17. The Voice of Faulkner
    The death of Addie is also one of the dark and disturbing components of the narration. The end of the story illustrates that the entire piece has been a flashback since it talks about the […]
18. Stylistic Devices in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
    One of the stylistic devices employed by Faulkner in the story A Rose for Emily is the use of the third person plural point of view of course through hearsay.
19. Solitude as a Theme in The Yellow Wallpaper & A Rose for Emily
    She is an embodiment of a great breakthrough in the fact that she rediscovers her new energy and point of view.
20. William Faulkner and His Rose for Emily
    A Rose for Emily is the story that is characterized by numerous critical opinions: readers found the story interesting, unusual, and educative; and critics tried to admit as many negative or weak points as possible […]
21. The Virtue of Moving Forward in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
    The misery of those who are unable to accept the reality and to get free from the influence of the past is the main theme of William Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily”, where […]

👍 Simple & Easy A Rose for Emily Essay Topics

1. The Fear of Change and Abandonment in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
2. The Symbol of Emily’s House in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
3. The Spirit Power of Women in an Act of Vengeance by Isabel Allende and “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
4. The Theme of Appearance Versus Reality in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
5. The Undying Love for Emily in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
6. The Signs of Poverty, Neglect, and Stubbornness in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
7. The Use of Gothic Elements in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
8. The Psychosis of Emily Grierson in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
9. The Struggles With Depression and Uncontrollable Changes in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
10. The Use of Symbolism in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
11. The Concept of Conflict Between the New and the Old in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
12. An Analysis of the Archetypes in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
13. Theme of Death in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
14. The Attempts of Emily to Stop the Passage of Time in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
15. The Crime of Love in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
16. The Portrayal of the Passing in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
17. The Value of Human Relationship and the Effects of a Loss on a Person’s Outlook in Life in “A Rose for Emily”
18. The Use of the Role of Male Figure in “A Rose for Emily”
19. The Vicious Cycle of Control in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
20. The Use of Personality Traits to Foreshadow in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
21. The Conflict Between the Older and Younger Generations During a Time for Change in the South in “A Rose for Emily”
22. The Mystery of the Rose and the Narrator in “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner
23. An Analysis of Plot Synchronicity in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner

🎓 Most Interesting A Rose for Emily Essay Topics

1. The Use of First Person Minor Point of View in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
2. The Masterful Use of Language in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
3. The Use of Symbolism and Characterization in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
4. The Patriarchal Society: “The Story of an Hour” and “A Rose for Emily”
5. Use of Symbolism in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
6. The Importance of the Minor Characters in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
7. The Symbolic Meaning of Emily in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
8. The Significance of the Townspeople and Emily’s Father in “A Rose for Emily”
9. The Theme of Self-Isolation and Symbolism of Rose in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
10. The Tragedies of War as Explained in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
11. The Use of Time to Enhance Details of the Setting in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
12. Why Emily Committed Murder: Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
13. The Pursuit of Love: The Portrayal of Women in “A Rose for Emily”
14. The Elements Used to Produce the Character of Emily in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
15. The Underlying Grotesque in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
16. The Impact of Imagery in Illustrating the Story of “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
17. The Role of Men in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
18. An Analysis of Emily’s Struggle in the Short Story “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
19. The Universal Symbol of Love in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
20. The Representation of Miss Emily as an Extended Metaphor in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily”
21. The Weaknesses and Insecurities of Emily in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
22. The Use of the Same Setting in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner
23. The Peculiar Style of the Short Story “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner

❓ A Rose for Emily Essay Questions

1. What Details Support That Faulkner Uses Symbolism in “A Rose for Emily”?
2. Why Did Emily From “A Rose for Emily” Buy Arsenic?
3. What Is Important About the Title of the Short Story “A Rose for Emily”?
4. What Are the Conflicts in “A Rose for Emily”?
5. How Does William Faulkner Reveal Character in “A Rose for Emily”?
6. How Do the Themes in “A Rose for Emily” Relate to the Plot and Characters?
7. What Is the Role of Wife and Mother in “A Rose for Emily”?
8. What Is Significant About the Gray Hair at the End of “A Rose for Emily”?
9. What Is the Metaphor in “A Rose for Emily”?
10. What Is the Central/Primary Purpose of “A Rose for Emily”?
11. How Essential Is the Setting to the Story “A Rose for Emily”?
12. What Is the Role of Women in “A Rose for Emily”?
13. What Mental Illness Did Emily Have In “A Rose for Emily”?
14. How Do the Symbols in “A Rose for Emily” Relate to the Plot and Characters?
15. What Is the Moral Lesson of “A Rose for Emily”?
16. Is Emily From “A Rose for Emily” a Victim or a Predator?
17. What Is the Main Problem in “A Rose for Emily”?
18. Does Any Uncertainty Remain in “A Rose for Emily”?
19. What Is Emily’s Place in the Socio-Economic Structure of ‘“A Rose for Emily”?
20. What Is the Conclusion in “A Rose for Emily”?
21. What Is the Author’s Purpose of “A Rose for Emily”?
22. What Is the Relationship Between Miss Emily and Her Father in “A Rose for Emily”?
23. Is Emily’s Father to Blame for Insanity in “A Rose for Emily”?
24. What Are Literary Devices in “A Rose for Emily”?
25. What Causes the Smell Around Emily’s House in “A Rose for Emily”?
26. What Are the Elements in the Story of “A Rose for Emily”?
27. What Are the Multiple Meanings for the “Rose” in “A Rose for Emily”?
28. Who Is the Antagonist in “A Rose for Emily”?
29. What Kind of Language Does the Author Use in “A Rose for Emily”?
30. What Kind of Narrator Is the Character Who Tells Miss Emily’s Story From “A Rose for Emily”?