The Chacter of Emily Grierson
"A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner Emily Grierson is the living example of the "Old South" in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily". From the "Old South" come people that are stuck on their old values and beliefs. People with "old southern" beliefs are not keen to the idea of change. They believe it is better to leave things the way they are. Miss Emily Grierson does not like change and is unwilling to do so. Miss Emily Grierson is a dynamic character in this story in only one aspect. After her father dies she, does the unexpected and takes a liking to man who would ordinarily be beneath her. On the contrary she is very stubborn as well. Miss Emily Grierson refuses to pay property taxes. William Faulkner uses Emily Grierson's character to show how the values and beliefs of people from the "Old South" can be difficult to steer toward change. The towns' people where Emily resides view her as a sort of monument because nobody is good enough for Miss Emily while her father is living. In the "Old South" there are different classes of people. You have the "stuck-up" or people that place themselves on pedestals above everyone else. They place themselves on these pedestals because the
People from the "Old South" seem to live by the motto: If it is not broken, don't fix it! It is also useless trying to argue with them about incorporating change in their lives because you will not win! . Miss Emily Grierson's refusal to accept these changes are characteristic of the "Old South". Miss Emily's family fit in with the "stuck-up" class of people. While Miss Emily's father is living, he drives many men away from her. She also refuses to have a mail box put on her house. Barron goes in her house one day and that was the last the towns' people see of him. Miss Emily is so stubborn to the idea of change; she even refuses to have an address put on her house. Miss Emily is representing the "Old South" when she kills Homer in order to hold onto him, again is due her refusal to accept change. William Faulkner demonstrates in this story how the older generations did not care to go by the books with regard to law and policies and how the new generation does. She held onto him in the worst way though. The characteristics of the "Old South" with the difficulty and unwillingness to accept change can be seen in a lot of older people still living today. Faulkner further demonstrates how sometimes people from older generations have a hard time accepting change through the character development of Emily Grierson.
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Acceptance Essays
