A Rose for Emily Group

Question:

emaaaaan
emaaaaan
Student

In the short story, "A Rose for Emily," if Homer Barron is the antagonist, does it matter that the story continues 30 years after his death?

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Posted by emaaaaan on Sunday November 1, 2009 at 4:34 AM and tagged with a rose for emily, character, homer, reference.

Answers:

  1. bullgatortail
    bullgatortail Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

        One of the aspects of William Faulkner's short story, "A Rose for Emily," is the life of loneliness Miss Grierson lives as a spinster in the small Southern town of Jefferson. Faulkner deliberately gives Emily little human contact and, consequently, there are few major characters in the story with which to interact. In spite of his relatively short stay in the story, Homer Barron is nonetheless the second most important character and, by definition, the antagonist. The fact that he disappears 30 years before Emily's death is irrelevant. His appearance does serve as an opposing force to the protagonist, Miss Emily, and thereby helps to create the rising action of the plot. Of course, dead or not, Homer does make an unexpected final curtain call at the end.

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

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    Posted by bullgatortail on Sunday November 1, 2009 at 7:01 AM