The short story “A Rose for Emily” describes the life of a lonely woman in the period after the Civil War. Although the work of literature is not long, it contains a great number of in-depth meanings. One of them regards the topic of death and unwillingness to accept the changes. This theme also addresses the destructive and obsolete, but widespread beliefs and convictions of the population of the Southern part of the United States. The main character, Emily, appears to be an example of a citizen, who resists implementation of the new epoch. To comprehend this message, it is crucial to review the external and internal conflicts in the story, which reveals essential prompts.
The external conflict of “A Rose for Emily” contributes to analyzing the meaning of the narration. Throughout the entire work, William Faulkner draws the contract between the past and present. For instance, different generations have a different attitude to the fact that Emily does not pay taxes. Colonel Sartoris considered it uncivilized to tell Emily about this issue and pretended that it was not a problem. On the contrary, representatives of the new generation remind the woman of her responsibility and are not willing to admit these indulgences. Such behavioral patterns cannot be understood by the main heroine.
To understand the message of the story deeply, it is essential to pay attention to the internal conflict of this work of literature. It consists in the fact that the main heroine struggles with reality. She cannot realize that the world, which she lives, is not the same as it was before the war. For the request to pay her taxes, Emily responds: “See Colonel Sartoris. (Colonel Sartoris had been dead almost ten years.) I have no taxes in Jefferson” (Faulkner para. 14). Therefore, she believes that it is appropriate to abandon these payments, as it was in the antebellum South. Her internal conflict regards her obsolete mindsets, which appear destructive, and the changes in society. Emily is incapable of adjusting her thoughts and activity to the new reality.
The process of Emily’s funeral is meaningful in the context of the idea of the story too. It symbolizes the changes of epochs and the fact that modern people adhere to crassness, rapidness, and pragmatism. On the contrary, representatives of the previous generation stuck to a genteel lifestyle. In addition, the description of Grierson’s house may also refer to the contrast of present and past. The building and interior used to match all the tradition and looked sophisticated. However, it was modernized, and recent innovations, such as cotton wagons, were implemented. This tendency covered all the houses in the neighborhood, though only the residence of Emily stayed that same, as it was.
In conclusion, analysis of internal and external conflicts and literary elements helps reveal the message of the story. The author draws the attention of the readers to the resistance to changes in the modern world, which can be destructive. The inability of Emily to abandon obsolete mindsets, her unwillingness to pay taxes, and even her death contribute to the understanding of this idea. Emily and her lifestyle symbolize the decaying beliefs and principles, which were widespread among the citizen of the Southern part in the 1930s.
Work Cited
Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” Xroads. Web.