Illusion vs. Reality in Literature

Paper Summary:

Illusion versus reality forms a significant component of many works of literature. Some characters live their lives based on illusions that protect them from reality. Others are forced to face the reality of their lives when the illusions are no longer believable. Others come to realize too late that their whole lives have been meaningless because they never really lived at all. In all these stories, there is one common message that comes through: accept your life for what it is and live that life. Authors offer this message in different ways, but the overall message remains the same. Four works of literature that make these points are "The Story of an Hour" by Kate Chopin, "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner, "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and "A Doll's House" by Henrik Ibsen. Each of these works are discussed to show how they illustrate the theme of illusion versus reality. The overall message of each work is also described. This illustrates that despite each work being very different in how it presents illusion and reality, the overall messages presented are the same.

From the Paper:

"A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner is another story where the main character lives a life based on illusion to hide from reality. Unable to accept change, Emily lives a life of exclusion where she hardly leaves her house for over ten years. When the mayor of the town visits her to tell her that she must pay taxes, she simply repeats, "I have no taxes in Jefferson" (Faulkner 426). This statement is made on the basis that her family have never had to pay taxes. This illustrates that she is unwilling to accept the fact that things change. Her inability to accept change goes as far as causing her to poison her boyfriend Homer, presumably to prevent him from leaving her. When Emily dies, the people of the town enter her home. When they do, they find Homer's dead body lying in a bed. Next to his body they notice "the indentation of a head" on the second pillow, and a strand of Emily's hair (Faulkner 432). The implication is that Emily has been sleeping next to the body of her dead boyfriend since she killed him."

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