A Rose For Emily

4 Pages 964 Words

In William Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily”, Faulkner chooses to use the community as a narrator because they are not only telling Miss Emily Grierson’s story, they are also observers of Emily’s life. Using the town as the narrator is crucial to the story because it gives the reader a positive outlook on Miss Emily, the narrator recalls past events that took place in the town, the narrator gives the reader insight into Miss Emily’s problems, and the view of the narrator gives the reader a feeling of pity for Miss Emily.
By Faulkner telling “A Rose for Emily” from the townspeople’s point of view, it allows the readers to have a more positive view of Miss Emily. The townspeople viewed Miss Emily as their “property”. “Alive, Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town” (Faulkner 75). The community regards Miss Emily as “tragic and serene” (Faulkner 77). This shows readers that the town Miss Emily lives in respected her and her family.
Another purpose of using the community as the narrator is the recollection of past events by the narrator. Without knowing Miss Emily’s history, the reader would just assume Miss Emily was born crazy. Instead, the narrator gives the reader past events that give the reader insight into why Miss Emily is so strange. The narrator tells how Miss Emily’s over-protective father was responsible for Miss Emily’s solitude after his death. “We remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will” (Faulkner 77). After Miss Emily’s father’s death, Emily has no one to turn to because Miss Emily’s father has not let Miss Emily live a “normal” life. The townspeople also recall that Miss Emily did not have to pay taxes in the town. After her father’s death, Colonel Sartoris felt pity...