A Rose for Emily Group

Question:

realdeal25
realdeal25
Student
College - Sophomore

There are many symbols in "A Rose for Emily"; how do I go about creating an essay based on the story's symbolism?

Are there other symbols in the story besides the title, the gray hair, the house, and the watch?

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Posted by realdeal25 on Sunday February 8, 2009 at 3:48 PM and tagged with a rose for emily, symbolism.

Answers:


  1. podunc Teacher
    College - Sophomore

    eNotes Editor

    One good direction you could go in is by making an argument about authorial intention. In other words, you could take one or more of these symbols and create an argument, using the text as evidence, about what Faulkner is trying to do with a symbol(s). What theme, idea, or attitude is revealed by one of these symbols?

    To sharpen your topic, think about your essay as either solving some “problem” about the text, or arguing “against” a common interpretation of the text that others may hold.

    One additional symbol you may want to take a look at is the portrait of Emily's father. Faulkner spends a good deal of time describing it, which suggests that it is important in some way.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/rose-emily

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    Posted by podunc on Friday February 13, 2009 at 8:22 PM


  2. scott-locklear Teacher
    Doctorate

    eNotes Editor

    For general strategies on analyzing symbolism and writing essays, please see the eNotes Topics pages below.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-analyze-symbolism
    http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-book-review
    http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-good-essay-english...

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    Posted by scott-locklear on Tuesday February 17, 2009 at 1:37 PM