Comparing Faulkner's A Rose For Emily And Hemingway

ose For Emily” is an interesting story. “A Rose For Emily” is a short story written by William Faulkner. The story documents Emily’s life and how the town has reacted to Emily’s life. The story takes place in the South and documents how Emily has resisted change. Faulkner is often compared to Hemingway due to the fact that they were rivals. Faulkner is a shy but egotistical while Hemingway is extroverted but humble. Faulkner likes to have a complex style while Hemingway likes to have a simple style in order to appeal to the common man. Faulkner’s style, symbolism, characters, and themes make his story interesting.
Faulkner has a specific style of writing that is appealing. Faulkner does not write in chronological order instead the narrator …show more content…
Emily’s house represents the old south.The house was in perfect shape in the beginning of Emily’s life, the house starts to decay as soon as Emily gets older. This means that the old southern values that Emily has are starting to decay. The nasty smell that comes from her home represent the failed attempts at changing Emily. The town only manages to cover the smell, the fail to get rid of the smell. They had to wait about two weeks in order for the smell to disappear. “They crept quietly across the lawn and into the shadow of the locusts that lined the street. After a week or two the smell went away. That was when people had begun to feel really sorry for her”(Faulkner).The town tries many times to get rid of Emily but each time they tried to get rid of her they fail. The rose in the title of the novel represents two things. The rose could represent Homer. A rose wilts and rots just like Homer and also like Homer a rose could be preserved. The rose also represents the view rosy view of the town and Emily. The town views Emily, they think that by changing her they are doing the right thing. Emily also wears rose colored glasses she believes that preserving Homer is normal. The characters represent the id, superego, and …show more content…
The first theme is the resistance of change. Emily refuses to change she refuses to modernize. She does not let the town put a mailbox in her home. Even though slavery is over she still has a black man that is treated like her slave. Emily’s hair also refuses change, it takes years for her hair to change to gray. Faulkner shows how people fight change until they are forced to give in. Another theme that is explored is how the powerless can hold such power. Emily is seen as powerless, she is often pitied by the town. “When her father died, it got about that the house was all that was left to her; and in a way, people were glad. At last, they could pity Miss Emily. Being left alone, and a pauper, she had become humanized”(Faulkner).The town feels sorry for her for not having money, a father, or a husband. Even though she is seen as powerless she holds tremendous power in the town. The town does not want to deal with her. She does not pay taxes even though the town wants her to. It is a law in the town to explain why one is buying arsenic. Emily does not give a reason for buy arsenic and the sales person still gives it to her. “A Rose For Emily” might be for the common man but it is interesting. The common can will still be able to relate to the story. The story is ambiguous and leaves one thinking. The story takes one out of his comfort zone. It is interesting to see what motivates each character. Although the story might be complex it