Decay of a Southern Rose
“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner is a story that is rich in symbolism about the old traditions of southern life and the changing attitudes of the Antebellum South. Emily is an elderly southern woman who at first is described to us as an eccentric yet respected woman. ... Faulkner uses a first person point of view to heighten Miss Emily’s isolation from the town, showcase her inability to accept changes, and enables Faulkner to better illustrate the decay of old southern traditions against the new ideas and changing attitudes of the multigenerational townspeople in the Antebellum era. ... ” The point of view in “A Rose for Emily” is what keeps the reader compelled to finish the story. ... The reader also obtains a clear understanding of the varied perspectives of the multigenerational townspeople, thus helping the reader as well as the characters to better understand the changes from the decaying old southern traditions to the new ideas and attitudes of the Antebellum era.