Symbolism in “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner

Abel Girma Mr. Lucky English manner of speaking and Literature IB Y1 04 September 2012 Word Count 1087 The Consciousness of symbolic representation in A arise For Emily Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward, that croak and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long establish of iron-gray hair read the shoemakers last lines of A rose wine for Emily, a short story written by the American author and Nobel Prize laureate William Faulkner, published in 1931.These last manner of speaking put a shocking and rather disturbing end to this enchantment depicting the strange life of Emily Grierson, and her obdurate refusal to adapt to changes in her life, life in her own non-transforming world. Various symbols are used end-to-end the textual matter although Faulkner did not use whatever kind of witting symbol. The validity of this outcry lies in his Nobel Prize in Literatur e espousal speech, his biography and his reference on the meaning of A rose for Emily. Emily Grierson is portrayed as A fallen monument from the very beginning of the story as the teller starts to describe the ceremonial procedures following her death.Soon after, her home, a house that had once been white, beautify with cupolas and spires and scrolled balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies. (Section I of A Rose for Emily) Is adjacently undermined as an eyesore among eyesores (Section I of A Rose for Emily), invaded by the deteriorating and industrialized contiguity that used to be an illustriously reputed neighborhood in the 1970s. This is a very well example of symbolism used in the text as it gives an breath of the stubbornness in which Emily, a southern woman has lived her life cleaved to the ult and immersed in old southern traditions.Similarly, the Rose in A Rose for Emily is a thought-provoking symbol due to the fact that it is never menti singled throughout the totality of the story. The interpretations of the Rose are unbounded and debatable. It can be still as universe a rose of sym roomy Faulkner would like to trust to Emily for she had lived an undeniably grim life of solitude and misery. It can equally be interpreted as a rose representing the love Emily desperately mandatory in her life but never truly found, seeing as a rose generally symbolizes love in most cultures.Likewise, another(prenominal) shock kindling and incontestably pivotal symbol in the story is limit within the last sentence, the long strand of iron-gray hair. These last words reveal the gruesome moral depravity in which Emily lived a great part of her life, sleeping beside the decaying corpse of Homer, the first potential true-love in Emilys life that decided to leave her soon after they started spending a lot of time together. The strand of hair symbolizes the often heretical path which people cross in the quest for love.There is not a open enough correlation between most of the symbols and what they symbolize for them to have been an practical application of conscious symbolism. Furthermore Faulkner himself has ascertained that he doesnt rely on consciously apply symbolism to channel his philosophies as an author. Effectively, William Faulkner blatantly denies using any conscious symbolism. He explains I was simply trying to save up about people it was no intention of the writer to say, Now lets see, Im going to write a flip in which I will use a symbolism (extract from the interview A import of A Rose for Emily).This reference book further validates the argument that the symbolism used by Faulkner was unintentional. Ray Bradbury, superstar of the most renowned American writers of the 20th century explains his take on this topic in a response to a letter from a 16 course old student in 1963. The student cute to know more about the use of symbolism in literary works so Bradbury stated that I never consciously ba ckside symbolism in my writing. That would be a self-conscious exercise and disquietude is defeating to any creative act. The best symbolism is always unsuspected and natural. Faulkner excessively describes his main interest as a writer as being about the human heart in conflict with itself (Nobel Prize acceptance speech). Thus, his sole purpose as a writer goes against the act of using conscious symbolism. Accordingly, in A Rose for Emily, he tells the outlandish, yet make story of Miss Emily Griersons internal conflict in the pursuit of felicity and love that leads her to unorthodox even satanic acts. Faulkners A Rose for Emily offers symbols with absolute interpretations and therefore proves to a considerable conclusion that the use of those symbols werent conscious.Moreover, It would be disrespectful not to agree with the author when he denies the use of conscious symbolism. Symbolism in A Rose for Emily is consistently present and plays a study role in the possible readers interpretations of the storys message. However, the use of symbols in a literary work is inevitable and isnt always a product of a conscious act. This means that the fact that there is symbolism in the text isnt a contradiction to the authors initial goal which is writing a mere move story inspired by a picture of a strand of hair on the pillow in the abandoned house. (Interview on The Meaning of A Rose for Emily). Consequently, the unconscious symbolisms within the story give it sophism and depth due to its readers interpretations, not due to the immoral act of high-and-mighty symbolism upon them. The American author Isaac Asimov encompasses the answer to the controversy of the use of symbolism in his response to the same letter about from the 16 year old student Consciously? Heavens, no Unconsciously? How can one avoid it? Faulkner did not use conscious symbolism in A Rose for Emily.Numerous applications of symbolism are present in this short ghost-story and they do ho ld a non-negligible position in the overall meaning of the piece based on each readers understanding of them. Nevertheless, the literary virtuoso, William Faulkner did not by choice place these symbols as a means to convey his message in a latent manner. In lieu of doing so, he straight-forwardly wrote a plain ghost-story containing inevitable symbols. As a matter of fact, we may ask ourselves to what extent is the conscious use of symbolism in literature in order of battle to convey message, efficient and effective?