'A Rose for Emily'

Paper Summary:

In this article the writer reviews William Faulkner's short story 'A Rose for Emily' and discusses how Faulkner uses plot. The writer explains that this concerns specifically a plot that is slowly unraveled through the eyes of inquisitive local citizens to build a story that develops a dynamism and momentum that few other short stories possess. In particular the paper also notes the constant re-emergence of certain themes and how Faulkner's plot is compelling in large part because death bookends the story and serves as a grim undercurrent throughout.

From the Paper:

"A great plot most often makes for a great story. This is especially true of William Faulkner's 'A Rose for Emily' in light of the fact that the story builds towards a grim surprise that gives the tale a power and resonance that stays with the reader long after he or she has turned the final page. In the pages that follow, this paper will examine what plot does for 'A Rose for Emily' and how Faulkner's masterful use of plot allows him to take a tale about personal conflict and turn it into an American classic. The story begins with Emily Grierson's funeral. This is eerily appropriate, for death is something that hangs over the story in much as the "smell" hangs over Ms. Grierson's house in the opening pages of the story."

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