I have been reading several short stories and came across a wonderfully horrific short story
A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner. This story was written in the 1930's and since October just passed with the thrill of Halloween and American culture loving to be horrified by the macabe this story had all the fixins. This story is about Miss Emily Gierson. She is a recluse who the towns people would prefer not to have dealings with. I found it amazing how if someone is strange enough or made someone feel uncomfortable enough they would overlook certain things just to not have to deal with the person that makes them feel that way. I found this to be a trend in this story.
Miss Gierson was so escentric that the towns pepole let her get away without paying taxes for many years and even overlooked following polices of the purchase of regulated substances to her just because the clerk was uncomfortable with her forceful nature. She was very crude and her family history seemed to have a lot to do with why the town's people overlooked certain things she did. I often wondered what the dark secret event was in history that got her such favors for so long.
While reading the story I noticed the darkness in its tone so I immediately suspected that Miss Gierson was hiding something; in the end when the twist is exposed, you sit back and reminse on how certain events earlier in the story were sure tell signs of what was exposed in the end. William Faulkner did a great job keeping me intersted in what may come next in her secretive life. I too felt uncomfortable reading about Emily. I felt almost from the start something was not right with this woman. I could not help but to feel sorry for her and felt her life must have been full of pain and loniness. At the same time I often wondered if maybe she was mentally ill and because the towns people wanted nothing to do with her she did not get the help that would have made her function better in society. If you have not read this short story you should check it out. I found it a wonderful read.
- Cassa Arnold
"Rose" is a creepy story, one of my least favorite by Faulkner, but it is brilliant in its own right. I wasn't quite sure what the connection is to class readings or topics--it's written by a white man (southern) who wrote a lot about race. Perhaps that's the connection? Perhaps talk about that? His "Barn Burning," equally famous and anthologized, is a great examination of race and southern culture, and brilliant writing.
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