““A Rose for Emily”A Rose for Emily”byby

William FaulknerWilliam Faulkner

QuestionsQuestions

What has happened to Homer Baron?What has happened to Homer Baron?

What message does “the strand of iron-gray What message does “the strand of iron-gray hair on the second pillow” reveal?hair on the second pillow” reveal?

SettingSetting （背景）（背景）

TimeTime:1870s (after the civil war):1870s (after the civil war)

PlacePlace: the South (cultural clash with the: the South (cultural clash with the

Yankees)Yankees)* (In contrast to the lack of concrete setting in “The * (In contrast to the lack of concrete setting in “The

Tell-Tale Heart”)Tell-Tale Heart”)

The Order of NarrationThe Order of Narration The jump of time sequence (with intermittent foreshaThe jump of time sequence (with intermittent foresha

dowing) dowing) the death the death (6)(6)Colonel Satoris’s generation (first flashback) Colonel Satoris’s generation (first flashback) (4)(4)the new generation the new generation (5)(5)the smell (30 years ago) the smell (30 years ago) (3)(3)

(second flashback)(second flashback)the death of her father (further flashback) the death of her father (further flashback) (1)(1)the affair with Homer (back to 30 years ago) the affair with Homer (back to 30 years ago) (2)(2)the funeral the funeral (7)(7)

QuestionsQuestions

What is the author’s feelings/ attitude toward What is the author’s feelings/ attitude toward the big historical change in which he stood? the big historical change in which he stood?

Who are the “we” in the story?Who are the “we” in the story?

The Narrative Point of ViewThe Narrative Point of View

““We”—the general, anonymousWe”—the general, anonymous （不知名的）（不知名的） voivoice of townspeople who, as witness of the occurce of townspeople who, as witness of the occurrences, do not actually participate in the events.rences, do not actually participate in the events.

““We” only report what they see or guess as obWe” only report what they see or guess as observers, without knowing Emily’s mind.servers, without knowing Emily’s mind.

a) the creation of suspensea) the creation of suspense

b) the mouthpiece for a certain attitudeb) the mouthpiece for a certain attitude

The Narrative ToneThe Narrative Tone

The gossiping, disorganized style of narration, The gossiping, disorganized style of narration, which jumps casually back and forth in time which jumps casually back and forth in time period. period.

If the story is told from Emily’s point of view, If the story is told from Emily’s point of view, then the wondering, gossiping, suspense, and then the wondering, gossiping, suspense, and all the complicated feelings of townspeople all the complicated feelings of townspeople toward Emily will get lost. toward Emily will get lost.

Major ThemesMajor Themes

historical transformation and nostalgiahistorical transformation and nostalgia Generation gapsGeneration gaps The decline of the old Southern aristocracy The decline of the old Southern aristocracy The protagonist’s maladjustment for changes The protagonist’s maladjustment for changes

both social and personalboth social and personal The protagonist’s repression by patriarchy and The protagonist’s repression by patriarchy and

her failed attempt of liberation her failed attempt of liberation

EmilyEmily

A token (monument) of a past age A token (monument) of a past age (cf. (cf. 宋美齡宋美齡 ))

Maladjustment Maladjustment (( 適應障礙適應障礙 )) : refusal to accept cha : refusal to accept changesnges

Anachronism Anachronism (( 不合時宜不合時宜 )) : failure to progress wit : failure to progress with timeh time

Repression & liberation Repression & liberation (( 壓抑與解放壓抑與解放 ))

Generation Gap & Historical Generation Gap & Historical TransformationTransformation

““A & P”—generation gap/ difference within A & P”—generation gap/ difference within the same historical contextthe same historical context

““A Rose for Emily”—generation differences A Rose for Emily”—generation differences resulted from a great historical transformationresulted from a great historical transformation

Historical TransformationHistorical Transformation

Social revolutionSocial revolution---abolition---abolition

IndustrializationIndustrialization---garages---garages

---cotton gins---cotton gins

Modernization: Modernization: ---railway---railway

---sidewalks pavement---sidewalks pavement

---post---post

The Author’s Ambivalent FeelingsThe Author’s Ambivalent Feelings

Faulkner as a region writer:Faulkner as a region writer:

(the tracing of the fortunes of several families i(the tracing of the fortunes of several families in the imagined Mississippi country Yoknapatan the imagined Mississippi country Yoknapatawhpha from the civil war to modern times) whpha from the civil war to modern times)

The Author’s Ambivalent Feelings: The Author’s Ambivalent Feelings: The Narrator’s Complicated ToneThe Narrator’s Complicated Tone

DispleasedDispleased

---the arrogance of Emily’s noble family, especia---the arrogance of Emily’s noble family, especially her fatherlly her father

The Author’s Ambivalent Feelings: The Author’s Ambivalent Feelings: The Narrator’s Complicated ToneThe Narrator’s Complicated Tone

Nostalgic:Nostalgic:

---regret over generation differences---regret over generation differences

---Emily as a token (monument) of a past age ---Emily as a token (monument) of a past age (cf.(cf. 宋美齡宋美齡 ))

---the loyal negro---the loyal negro

The Author’s Ambivalent Feelings: The Author’s Ambivalent Feelings: The Narrator’s Complicated ToneThe Narrator’s Complicated Tone

Sympathetic: Sympathetic: ---the title: “A ---the title: “A RoseRose for Emily” for Emily”

---“making her look like a girl, with a vagu---“making her look like a girl, with a vague resemblance to those angels . . .”e resemblance to those angels . . .” (29)(29)

---“. . . And we were all Emily’s allies to he---“. . . And we were all Emily’s allies to help circumvent the cousins.”lp circumvent the cousins.” (46)(46)

NostalgiaNostalgia

白先勇 《台北人》白先勇 《台北人》 ；〈遊園驚夢〉；〈遊園驚夢〉 <http://yukrlee.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-po<http://yukrlee.blogspot.com/2008/05/blog-po

st_2091.html>st_2091.html> 琦君 〈桂花雨水〉； 〈ㄧ對金手鐲〉； 琦君 〈桂花雨水〉； 〈ㄧ對金手鐲〉；

〈下雨天真好〉； 《橘子紅了》〈下雨天真好〉； 《橘子紅了》

Indications of SettingIndications of Setting

““And now Miss Emily had gone to join And now Miss Emily had gone to join the representatives of those august names the representatives of those august names where they lay in the where they lay in the cedar-bemusedcedar-bemused cemeterycemetery among the ranked and among the ranked and anonymous graves of anonymous graves of Union and Union and ConfederateConfederate soldiers who fell at the battle soldiers who fell at the battle of of JeffersonJefferson.”.” (2)(2)

* The Union was primarily anti-slavery and the south (Confederacy) was * The Union was primarily anti-slavery and the south (Confederacy) was

strongly pro-slavery; Jefferson City is the capital of Missouri State.strongly pro-slavery; Jefferson City is the capital of Missouri State.

Projection of Inner Feelings onto Projection of Inner Feelings onto Outward Things Outward Things

““cedar-bemusedcedar-bemused cemetery”: cemetery”:

It’s humans that are bemused, not cemeteryIt’s humans that are bemused, not cemetery

cf.cf. 「寂寞梧桐深夜鎖清秋」「寂寞梧桐深夜鎖清秋」

Links between jumps in timeLinks between jumps in time

““So she vanquished them, horse and foot, So she vanquished them, horse and foot, just asjust as she had vanquished their fathers she had vanquished their fathers thirty years before about the smell”thirty years before about the smell” (15)(15)

Links between jumps in timeLinks between jumps in time

““That was when people had begun to feel sThat was when people had begun to feel sorry for her . . . orry for her . . . RememberingRemembering how old la how old lady Wyatt, her great aunt, had gone compldy Wyatt, her great aunt, had gone completely crazy at last, believing that the Grieretely crazy at last, believing that the Griersons held themselves a little too high . . .”sons held themselves a little too high . . .” (25)(25)

Links between jumps in timeLinks between jumps in time

““. . . as if it had wanted that touch of earthin. . . as if it had wanted that touch of earthiness to reaffirm her imperviousness ess to reaffirm her imperviousness (( 不為所動不為所動 )) . . Like when she bought the rat poison, the Like when she bought the rat poison, the arsenic.”arsenic.” (33)(33)

Anachronism and refusal to admit Anachronism and refusal to admit changeschanges

“’“’See Colonel Sartoris,’ (Colonel Sartoris hSee Colonel Sartoris,’ (Colonel Sartoris has been dead almost ten years) ‘I have no as been dead almost ten years) ‘I have no taxes in Jefferson. . . .’”taxes in Jefferson. . . .’” (14)(14)

Anachronism and refusal to admit Anachronism and refusal to admit changeschanges

““The day after his death all the ladies The day after his death all the ladies prepared to call at the house and offer prepared to call at the house and offer condolence and aid, as is our custom condolence and aid, as is our custom Miss Emily met them at the door, dressed Miss Emily met them at the door, dressed as usual and with no trace of grief on her as usual and with no trace of grief on her face. face. She told them that her father was She told them that her father was not dead. She did that for three daysnot dead. She did that for three days…”…” (27)(27)

Anachronism and refusal to admit Anachronism and refusal to admit changeschanges

Emily’s refusal to let Homer Baron go Emily’s refusal to let Homer Baron go and her sleeping with his skeleton over and her sleeping with his skeleton over the yearsthe years

Emily’s refusal to accept the free postal Emily’s refusal to accept the free postal deliverydelivery (self-isolated from the outward world; 50)(self-isolated from the outward world; 50)

Emily’s being frozen in timeEmily’s being frozen in time

““Daily, monthly, and yearly we watched Daily, monthly, and yearly we watched the Negro grow grayer and more stooped, the Negro grow grayer and more stooped, going in and out with the market basket. . .going in and out with the market basket. . . .Thus she passed from generation to .Thus she passed from generation to genegeneration—dear, inescapable, impervious ration—dear, inescapable, impervious (( 不為不為

所動的所動的 )) , tranquil, and perverse , tranquil, and perverse (( 乖僻的乖僻的 )).”.” (51)(51)

Historical transformationHistorical transformation

““It was a big, squarish frame house that hIt was a big, squarish frame house that had once been white, decorated with cupolad once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires, . . . set on what had once bas and spires, . . . set on what had once been our most select street. But een our most select street. But garages angarages and cotton ginsd cotton gins had encroached and oblitera had encroached and obliterated even the august names of that neighboted even the august names of that neighborhood . . .”rhood . . .” (2)(2)

The implied regret over the new The implied regret over the new changechange

“… “… only Miss Emily’s house was left, only Miss Emily’s house was left, lifting this stubborn and coquettish decay lifting this stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and the gasoline above the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumps—pumps—an eyesore among eyesoresan eyesore among eyesores.”.” (2)(2)

Regret over the passing of an old age and Regret over the passing of an old age and the generation differencesthe generation differences

---“Alive, Miss Emily had been a tradition, ---“Alive, Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obla duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town . . .” igation upon the town . . .” (3)(3)

---“Only a man of Colonel Sartoris’ generat---“Only a man of Colonel Sartoris’ generation and thought could have invented it, anion and thought could have invented it, and only a woman could have believed it. ” d only a woman could have believed it. ” (3)(3)

Regret over the passing of an old age and Regret over the passing of an old age and the generation differencesthe generation differences

---When the next generation, with its more ---When the next generation, with its more modern ideas, became mayors and modern ideas, became mayors and aldermen, this arrangement created some aldermen, this arrangement created some little dissatisfaction.” little dissatisfaction.” (4)(4)

Regret over the passing of an old age and Regret over the passing of an old age and the generation differencesthe generation differences

““That night the board of Aldermen met—three gThat night the board of Aldermen met—three graybeards andraybeards and one younger man one younger man, a member of , a member of tthe rising generationhe rising generation. . . . . . “Dammit, sir,” Judg“Dammit, sir,” Judge Stevens said, “will you accuse a lady to e Stevens said, “will you accuse a lady to her face of smelling bad?” her face of smelling bad?” (21-23)(21-23)

Regret over the passing of an old age and Regret over the passing of an old age and the generation differencesthe generation differences

“ “Then Then the newer generationthe newer generation became the became the backbone and the spirit of the town, and backbone and the spirit of the town, and the painting pupils grew up and fell away the painting pupils grew up and fell away and did not send their children to her with and did not send their children to her with boxes of color and tedious brushes and boxes of color and tedious brushes and pictures cut from the ladies’ magazines. pictures cut from the ladies’ magazines. The front door closed upon the last one The front door closed upon the last one and remained closed for good.and remained closed for good. (50)(50)

Regret over the passing of an old age and Regret over the passing of an old age and the generation differencesthe generation differences

“ “The Negro met the first of the ladies at The Negro met the first of the ladies at the front door . . . and then he the front door . . . and then he disappeared. disappeared. He walked right through the He walked right through the house and out the back and was not seen house and out the back and was not seen again again . . .. . .” . .” (54)(54)

Nostalgia for the pastNostalgia for the past

“ “ . . . Confusing time with its mathematical . . . Confusing time with its mathematical progression, as the old do, to whom all progression, as the old do, to whom all the past is not a diminishing road but, the past is not a diminishing road but, instead, instead, a huge meadow which no winter a huge meadow which no winter ever quite touchesever quite touches . . .” . . .” (55)(55)

The decline of the old aristocratic The decline of the old aristocratic classclass

““It smelled of dust and It smelled of dust and disuse—a close, disuse—a close, dank smelldank smell . . . they could see that the . . . they could see that the leather was cracked; and when they sat leather was cracked; and when they sat down, a faint dust rose sluggishly about down, a faint dust rose sluggishly about their thighs, spinning with slow motes in their thighs, spinning with slow motes in the single sun-ray.”the single sun-ray.” (5)(5)

The decline of the old aristocratic The decline of the old aristocratic classclass

““Just as if a man—any man—could keep a Just as if a man—any man—could keep a kitchen properly,” the ladies said; so they kitchen properly,” the ladies said; so they were not surprised when the smell develowere not surprised when the smell developed. ped. It was another link between the gross,It was another link between the gross, teeming world and the high and mighty teeming world and the high and mighty GriersonsGriersons.. (16)(16)

“ “ . . . Even when we believed that . . . Even when we believed that she was fallenshe was fallen” ” (34)(34)

Foreshadowing Foreshadowing

Emily’s refusal to admit changesEmily’s refusal to admit changes Homer’s problem:Homer’s problem:---“ . . . Homer himself had remarked— ---“ . . . Homer himself had remarked— he he

liked menliked men, and it was known that he , and it was known that he drank with the younger men in the Elks’ drank with the younger men in the Elks’ Club—that he was Club—that he was not a marrying mannot a marrying man.”.” (43)(43)

Foreshadowing Foreshadowing

Purchase of the arsenicPurchase of the arsenic Hair color: Hair color: ---“During the next few years it grew ---“During the next few years it grew

grayer and grayer until it attained an even grayer and grayer until it attained an even pepper-and-salt pepper-and-salt iron-grayiron-gray, when it ceased , when it ceased turning.”turning.” (48)(48)

Hemingway vs. FaulknerHemingway vs. Faulkner

The dreary The dreary (( 孤寂孤寂 )), bleak , bleak (( 蕭瑟蕭瑟 )) mood in Heming mood in Hemingway’s modern world where individuals live in way’s modern world where individuals live in isolation, without a goal to pursue.isolation, without a goal to pursue.

Faulkner: the nostalgic tone for a past societyFaulkner: the nostalgic tone for a past society

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