Rose for Emily

In reading “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, I can connect to the main character, Emily, using the language, setting, and the characters actions. First, language played a major role in the story.

An example is how the author describes the changes she physically goes through. In the beginning, she is described as being “a small, fat woman in black….Her skeleton was small and spare”. The Board of Aldermen went to her house to collect taxes but she simply refuses to pay. It has been many years since anyone has seen her.

Now she has become old and her body is wasted. She is not as pretty as she used to be. Her physical appearance is a mirror of her emotions and current mental state. She is sad, pessimistic, and gloomy. Also, when she was young, her father turned down any guy wanting to marry her.

Soon her father died. After his death the author says “When we saw her again, her hair was cut short, making her look like a girl…sort of tragic and serene”. Due to her disparity, she changes her once lively and happy appearance to something more innocent and humble. She feels lost and weak. She is like a little kid looking for someone to protect her. That’s how she lives the rest of her life.

I can connect to the language being used because I can understand through the writing of the author how she changes her physical appearance to show how she feels and chooses to express her thoughts and emotions. I personally do this as does everyone in the world. The way