A Perspective Look at "A Rose for Emily"
             Thesis: As any reader can see, "A Rose for Emily" is one of the most authentic short stories by Faulkner. His use of characterization, narration, foreshadowing, and symbolism are four key factors to why Faulkner's work is idealistic to all readers.
             The works of William Faulkner have had positive effects on readers throughout his career. Local legends and gossip trigger the main focus of his stories. Considering that Faulkner grew up in Mississippi, he was very familiar with the ways of the South. This award winning author has been praised by many critics for his ability and unique style of writing. One of Faulkner's most popular works, which also was his first short story nationally published in 1930, "A Rose for Emily" is one of the most authentic short stories by Faulkner (Pierce 849). By writing about the political and social ways of the South, Faulkner was able to create an illusion of the New south as being what we know today as mainstream America. His use of characterization, narration, foreshadowing, and symbolism are four key factors to why Faulkner's work is idealistic to all readers.
             The use of characterization in "A Rose for Emily" is clearly important to the story. It is obvious to all readers that Miss Emily Grierson is the protagonist, or the principal character. According to a prominent critic, Elizabeth Sabiston, Emily is a gothic character (142). Sabiston is referring to Emily that way because of the fact that she slept with the skeleton of her lover for forty years. Miss Emily added a mystical tone the mood of the story due to her incapability of being able to live in reality (Watson 180). She was awfully stubborn to the townspeople. This stubbornness also ties in with Emily's ability to live in reality. After she refuses to
             pay her taxes, directly to the mayor, she tells them to go and s...