Desperation for a fulfillment of love arising from loss of comfort and dependency can lead to absolute confinement as noted in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily.” Miss Emily Grierson has established an aristocratic status throughout the years her father was alive. In her father’s eyes no man was good enough for her. Emily’s father was the culprit of her isolation. The alienation from society built a barrier that prevented Emily from finding a lover and escaping isolation once her father died. Faulkner uses descriptive words and symbolic meaning thrughout the story to emphasize Emily’s seclusion. Faulkner uses symbols such as the description of Emily’s house and Emily’s hair rapidly turning gray to maintain an understanding of Emily’s dilemma.
