[Prof. Masiello]

Questions for discussion: theme: Men and Women

Press Ctrl + click or cut and paste into your browser to open any hyperlinks for the stories.

2) A short story by William Faulkner called “A Rose for Emily”:
https://archive.org/details/ARoseForEmily1930/mode/2up

Please answer my question (below), not the ones on the final two pages of the text above.

a) Notice the descriptions of Emily at the beginning, when she is elderly.

b) Can you find a metaphor or a simile there? (You need to know the difference between those two “figures of speech” meant to be taken figuratively, not literally.) When you say someone is a pig, you do not mean it literally. The same is when you say to someone you eat like a bird. It is not meant literally.

The description of her hair color is literal, real, and it
also becomes a significant detail at the very end.

c) Think of metaphors and similes you use in your own conversation. List a few.
It is a good thing for writers to use metaphors and similes!

d) Who is narrating this story (that is not the same as saying who wrote it)?

e) Notice that the narrator says in the first sentence, “When Miss Emily Grierson died, our
whole town went to her funeral: the men through a sort of respectful affection for a fallen
monument, the women mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her house […].
Is this a criticism of women’s values or priorities? Is the portrayal of Emily a criticism?

f) When she bought arsenic, what did the townspeople think?

g) Homer was the one man that Emily seemed to care about.
Why did people think poorly of him? (It may have to do with geography…)

h) At the end, what do people find in the locked room? What exactly happened?

i) Did you notice the line: “When she had first begun to be seen with Homer Barron, we
had said, ‘She will marry him.’ Then we said, “She will persuade him yet,’ because
Homer himself had remarked-–he liked men, and it was known that he drank with the
younger men in the Elks’ Club-–that he was not a marrying man”?
Did it mean anything to you at first?
Does it mean anything in retrospect?

j) Considering all that the author writes about Emily, do you think he, William Faulkner, is
showing bias against women?

[tanya]

a) Emily is described as a mysterious and reclusive figure in the community
b) There isn’t a clear metaphor or simile in the text. However, a metaphor could be “a fallen monument” describing Emily’s diminished status, and a simile could be “her eyes looked like two small pieces of coal.”
c) In everyday conversation, people use metaphors and similes like “stubborn as a mule” or “ray of sunshine”
d) The story is narrated by a collective “we,” representing towns people
e) The narrators description of the towns reaction to Emilys death may criticize societal values and priorities. Emilys portrayal could also be seen as critical, highlighting the consequences of isolation and societal expectations.
f) When Emily brought arsenic, people thought she might use it to kill herself.
g) people looked down on Homer because he was a Northerner and of lower social class, and his relationship with Emily was scandalous due to these differences
h) In the locked room, people find Homer Barrons skeleton lying on the bed with Emilys grey hair next to it, suggesting she had been sleeping next to his corpse.
i) The line about homers reluctance to marry and preference for male companionship adds depth to Emilys character, showing her desperation for love and companionship
j) Faulkners portrayal of Emily and other women may criticize societal expectations, but understanding it fully requires considering the story historical context.

• This reply was modified 3 weeks, 6 days ago by tanya.

[braulio]

Emily is described as mysterious and keeps to herself
a metaphor could be “a fallen monument” describing Emily’s diminished status, and a simile could be “her eyes looked like two small pieces of coal.”
“hard as a rock” or “heart of stone
We are narrating the story, we represent the townspeople
The narrator’s description of the town’s reaction to Emily’s death may criticize societal values and priorities.  She was going to use it to kill herself
people looked down on Homer because he was a Northerner and lower social class, and his relationship with Emily was bad
They find Homer Barrons skeleton lying on the bed with Emily’s grey hair next to it, she had been sleeping next to his corpse.
The line about homers reluctance to marry and preference for male companionship adds depth to Emily’s character
Faulkner’s portrayal of Emily and other women may criticize societal expectations

[Juan B]

a)She is described as someone mysterious, who tends to also keep to herself
b)A metaphor could be the phrase “ a fallen monument” regarding how Emily is, and a simile could be “her eyes looked like two small pieces of coal.”
c)Waiting for her to arrive feels like watching paint dry. Her mood swings are like a rollercoaster, up and down all the time.
d)The story is narrated by the townspeople, due to the inclusion of “we”
e)The narrator’s description of the town’s reaction to Emily’s death may criticize societal values and priorities. I believe the portrayal ofEmily is criticism, due to possibly portraying the dire consequences of secluding yourself from others.
f)When Emily brought arsenic, people thought she might use it for bad things, like ending her life.
g)People looked down on Homer because he was a lower social class and he was also a northerner. Plus his relationship with Emily was bad
h)They find Homer Barron’s skeleton lying on the bed with Emily’s grey hair next to it, which insinuates that she had been sleeping next to his corpse.
i) The line about homer’s reluctance to marry and preference for male companionship adds depth to Emily’s character, since it shows Emily at least attempting at love and companionship
j)Faulkner’s portrayal of Emily and other women may criticize societal expectations, but it is up to the reader and the historical context behind it.

[Mariadelmar Marin]

B) The metaphor that she symbolizes is a fallen monument for them.  She is a reminder of the past and evidence of how history can still affect the present.  Also, the rose appears in the title as a symbol of kindness towards Ms. Emily, which she has never shown during her life.

C) Metaphors and similes serve the same purpose in English.  Similes uses “like” or “as” to compare two things, whereas a metaphor does not.

ei: Metaphors:

-I could eat a horse: I am starving.

-She is an open book: she has nothing to hide.

-To hit the sack: to go to sleep.

-To cut corners: to do something poorly to save time or money.

-Mama Bear: an overly protected mother.

Similes Examples:

-I know this place like the back of my hand.

-That answer is clear as mud.

-Like a raisin in the sun.

D)The person narrating the story the character within the story witnessing the actions and relaying them to the reader, an active member of the society.

E)the Jefferson residents decide to enter Miss Emily’s house and open the upstairs door that had been shut for over 40 years.  Due to the lack of visitors and isolation, they don’t know where Homer Barron is. Emily’s surroundings are covered in dust and mystery which proves that her judgment is clouded and townspeople can’t see the whole truth.  Miss Emily is bound by the expectations of her father and those of the town.

F)When she bought arsenic, they thought that she was using the poison herself since she didn’t want to disclose why she needed it.

G)People thought of Homer poorly because he was of a lower social and economic class. he was a northerner, a day laborer.

H)At the end people find Homer Barron’s deceased skeletal body.

I)I don’t believe there was a marrying man for Miss Emily, more of a companionship and desperation to be loved.

J)Faulkner uses the method to show how past and present mix and have irrevocable effects on one another.  Also, how society is pressured by traditional ideals which can sometimes have adverse effects on an individual’s esteem, mental health, and self-perception.

[Caitlyn Murphy]

a) Within the community, Emily is depicted as an enigmatic and solitary presence.

 

b) While the text doesn’t explicitly employ a metaphor or simile, one could liken Emily’s diminished stature to “a fallen monument,” while her eyes could be described as resembling “two small pieces of coal.”

 

c) Metaphors and similes, such as “stubborn as a mule” or “like a ray of sunshine,” are commonly used in everyday conversation.

 

d) The narrative is voiced collectively by the townspeople, providing a communal perspective.

 

e) The portrayal of the town’s response to Emily’s passing might subtly critique societal values and priorities. Likewise, Emily’s depiction could serve as a critique, shedding light on the consequences of isolation and societal pressures.

 

f) When Emily purchased arsenic, speculation arose that she might intend to end her own life.

 

g) Homer faced disdain from the community due to his Northern heritage and lower social standing. His relationship with Emily was scandalized due to these disparities.

 

h) In the sealed room, discoverers stumble upon the skeleton of Homer Barron lying on the bed, alongside Emily’s gray hair, implying she had been sleeping beside his remains.

 

i) The mention of Homer’s hesitance to marry and his preference for male companionship adds layers to Emily’s character, revealing her yearning for love and companionship.

 

j) Faulkner’s portrayal of Emily and other female characters may serve as a commentary on societal expectations, yet grasping its full significance necessitates contextualizing the story within its historical milieu.

[Yaritza Torres]

A) Emily is described as mysterious and she keeps to herself.

B) Metaphor: “A fallen monument”
Simile: “Her eyes looked like two small pieces of coal.”

C) Some metaphors I would use are “she has a heart of gold”, “Eyes are the windows to the soul”, and “couch potato”. Some similes I would use are “The news hit me like a ton of bricks”, “Blind as a bat” and “As white as a ghost”.

D) the narrators of the story are the characters in the town.

E) The way the community responded to Emily’s death could be interpreted as a jab at the priorities and ideals of society. Emily’s portrayal could be interpreted as a criticism, highlighting the negative effects of social pressures and solitude.

F) They believed that she was trying to take her own life when she purchased arsenic since she refused to say why she needed it.

G) Due to his lower social and economic status, Homer had a poor reputation amongst the town. He was a day laborer from the north.

H) The town discovered the skeleton remains of Homer Barron in the end.

I) Emily’s character is given depth by the mention of Homer’s hesitation to be married and his preference for male company, which highlights her desire for companionship and feelings of affection.

J) One could argue that Faulkner’s depiction of Emily and other women challenges conventional norms.

[Sofia Quinde]

A) Emily is described to be mysterious, stubborn, and defiant.

B)
Metaphor: “Miss Emily had been a tradition”
Simile: “Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough.”

C) Some metaphors I use are “you are slow as a sloth” and “you are the devil”. Some similes I use are “He eats like a pig” and “She smells like flowers”.

D) The narrator is the townsfolks.

E) How the community responded to Emily’s death can be interpreted as a criticism of society’s values. Emily is portrayed as a tragic figure, she symbolizes the resistance to change.

F) The townspeople believed Emily brought arsenic to end her own life, some believed she brought it for the use of rat poison.

G) Homer was a northerner, which made him an outsider. Emily’s community is very traditional, which is why they thought poorly of Homer.

H) The townspeople break into Emily’s room after her death and find the deceased corpse of Homer Barro lying on the bed, with a strand of Emily’s gray hair next to him.

I) Homer has hesitation about marriage, he also prefers the company of men. This highlights Emily’s unrequited love for Homer.

J) I sense no bias against women in the text, the author wrote a very complex female character.

[Kyyoung98]

a) Emily is described to be stubborn, defiant, and mysterious.

b) Metaphor: “Miss Emily had been a tradition”

Simile: “Her eyes looked like two small pieces of coal”

c) Metaphors and similes such as “like a ray of sunshine” or “stubborn like a mule”, are often used in everyday conversation.

d) The narrator of the story is the townsfolks.

e) The community response to Emily’s death can be viewed as a criticism of society’s values. Emily is viewed as a tragic, she symbolizes the resistance to reform.

f) When Emily bought arsenic, speculations arose that she might intend to commit suicide.

g) Homer had a poor reputation amongst the town due to his lower social and economic status. He was a day worker from the North.

h) The town discovered the skeleton was Homer Barron in the end.

i) The mention of Homer hesitance to marry and his preference for male companionship adds surface to Emily’s character, revealing her yearning for companionship and love.

j) I detect no bias against women in the text, the author wrote a very intricate female character.

[ibrahim]

a) She is described as someone mysterious and she keeps to herself

b) The simile “bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water” compares Emily’s physical state to a drowned corpse, emphasizing her lifelessness and the stagnation of her existence. Another metaphor is “a fallen monument,” which suggests that Emily, once a proud symbol of her family’s and town’s past, is now diminished and neglected.

c) Metaphors: “Time is a thief”, “He has a heart of stone”, “The classroom was a zoo”. Similes: “She is as busy as a bee”, “He eats like a horse”, “Her smile was as bright as the sun”.

d) The narrator of the story is the townspeople.

e) The narrator’s statement can be seen as a subtle criticism of the townspeople, particularly the women. By suggesting that the women attended the funeral out of curiosity rather than respect, The depiction of Emily herself, as a “fallen monument,” may not be as much a criticism of her as an individual but rather a critique of the societal forces that shaped her life and led to her isolation and eventual madness.

f) When Emily purchased arsenic, the townspeople speculated that she intended to use it to commit suicide.

g) He was considered an outsider in the Southern town of Jefferson. Homer was a laborer, working on a construction crew, which placed him in a lower social class compared to Emily’s aristocratic background.

h) At the end of the story, the townspeople discover a locked room in Emily’s house that had remained sealed for many years. Inside, they find the decayed corpse of Homer Barron lying on a bed. The scene reveals that Emily had poisoned Homer with the arsenic she bought and kept his body in her home, sleeping next to it for years.

i) The townspeople’s remark that Homer “liked men” and was “not a marrying man” hints at his possible homosexuality or at least a lack of interest in traditional marriage. This detail adds complexity to his relationship with Emily, suggesting that her desire to marry him might have been one sided. This line underscores Emily’s desperation and the lengths she would go to avoid abandonment, leading her to murder Homer to ensure he would never leave her.

j) William Faulkner’s portrayal of Emily Grierson is complex. While some might argue that her depiction as a reclusive, mentally unstable woman perpetuates negative stereotypes. Rather than showing bias against women, Faulkner uses Emily’s character to critique the Southern Gothic tradition and the destructive impact of rigid social norms on individuals.

[Ebnay]

B)” She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hue”

C) Busy as a bee. He is a night owl. He is a shining star.

D) The townspeople are the narrator.

E)It is a criticism of the women’s values and priorities because it implies that they are more interested in gossip than genuine respect and affection. The portrayal of Emily is a criticism of how she wasn’t able to adapt to the changing of times and her resistance to letting go of the past.

F)They thought she was going to kill herself.

G)He was a northerner and there were rumors of him being gay.

H) They found Homer’s dead body with stands of Emily’s hair next to him implying that she was still lying next to him even after he was dead.

I)It didn’t mean anything at first but in retrospect, I believe it sets up his death because the rumors of him being gay led Emily to kill him in fear of him leaving her.

J)I do think that he is showing societal biases against women .