Symbolism In A Rose For Emily

Red poppy a living symbol of fallen soldiers

After the “Great War” in 1918, the delicate flower with its fiery bloom, was immortalized by returning soldiers who recalled wild poppies blanketing devastated battlefields in France and Flanders. Written in 1915 by Canadian physician and Lt. Col. John McCrae, “In Flanders Fields” is considered to be one of the most notable war poems as it refers to the vivid abundance of poppies in war-ravaged combat zones and cemeteries in Flanders. According to the American Legion website, Moina Michael, an auxiliary member from Kansas City, created the idea of wearing a poppy to honor the war dead. She began wearing poppies in memoriam and regularly sold them, with proceeds aiding veterans and war orphans. In addition, the American Legion Auxiliary adopted the poppy as its memorial flower in 1921. “We used to sell them back on the street corners back in the early days,” said Warnick. “Now we’re old ladies, and times have changed, so don’t get near as many customers as we used to in the old days. But the auxiliary is still very much involved with it, and all donations go towards helping the disabled veterans.

Symbolism in "A Rose for Emily? - A Rose for Emily Discussion

One instance of symbolism in "A Rose for Emily" is in the title itself. The rose is most often thought of as a symbol for love in which case Homer is the "rose" or love for Emily.  Her father thought no man was good enough for her or for the Grierson family.  Therefore she was never able to experience passion or the rose of love until she met Homer.  However, there is another meaning of rose to consider.  In Medieval times the rose was used as a sign of silence or secrecy.  A rose was hung from the ceiling at a meeting of secret societies indicating a demand for discretion.  The rose in the title of the story could therefore stand for Emily's secret; that is Homer her "rose" whom she cherished, loved and kept to herself even after his body was corrupted by the decay of time.

Other instances of symbolism include how Emily represented the "Old South" that was slowly dying and making way for the newer, industrialized South that was on its way in.  The South was lagging behind the North in technology, and it took the South longer to become an industrialized society.  Miss Emily, with her dilapidated mansion in the middle of the town that around her was demonstrating growth and changing with the times, was the last remnant of the "Old South" in the town, really.  She refused to change and this was one of her tragic flaws, really.

Her attempt at grasping at life through her relationship with Homer Barron also results in death.  She would rather kill him than allow him to leave her. She then lives with death by sleeping next to the corpse of Homer Barron for many years.  

After Miss Emily's death, the decomposed corpse is discovered, along with a strand of gray hair found on a pillow next to the long dead Homer Barron.

Death is both a theme and a symbol in the story.  Sadly, Emily's life is defined by death, symbolically, like the old south, she fades from real life, although continuing to physically exist, everything that mattered to Emily has passed away. 

Faulkner calls Emily a "fallen monument" and an "idol in a niche" to suggest how the town views her and to connect her to the idea of the old, genteel Southern ways.  The modern townspeople don't know what to do with her, and she is so closed off and "inhuman" to them, but they respect her enough (or are intimidated enough) to just leave her alone.  Like Faulkner states, she was like a statue -- only representing  a real, living person and "thus she passed from generation to generation -- dear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse."  Several of those adjectives describe inanimate objects such as monuments and statues.

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