My senior year, our teacher had us read this story in class and not comment until all had finished and then we discussed it in small groups. It became one of my favorite short stories if for nothing else but the sheer number of conflicting expressions that passed over my classmates faces, and my own as well I am sure. I was nearly drummed out of class when I noted that the author said her hair was an iron gray like that of an active man. Does anyone else like this story?
I hadn’t read that in forever. It’s hereonline.
I liked it. The last line was what got me.
Great story. I teach it to my college students and they like it pretty well. I also show them the video with Angelica Huston as Emily.
I read this earlier this year (junior in high school) and found it to be beautifully written. I didn’t care for the story itself, but the craftmanship that went into it was fabulous. Everything was simply perfect! It has to be one of the few things I’ve read that really stands out as wonderful writing to me. As a (n aspiring) writer myself, I hope to take inspiration from Faulkner (it was Faulkner, correct?) and Tolkien to mold my works.
~Ferry
WARNING!!!
SEMI-SPOILER ALERT
i dont think it’s a spoiler, but it kinda comes close.
i thot it was alright. of course, i was raised on alfred hitchcock stuff, so it takes a lot to shock me. also, i think that the townspeople putting lime or whatever around the house way early gave the ending away.
I knew the plot, but this was the first time I’d read the story. Thanks for the link. I liked it a lot, very well written. I have to agree with Arden Ranger: that last line is the clincher.
Yeah, the entire thing pretty much does come down to the last line. But what a line it is!
I actually like “A Rose For Emily” better than any of the other Faulkner stuff I’ve read; at the risk of angering Faulknerites, I’ve always found the man’s writing to be a bit long-winded, circular, and pointless. “Emily” is such a powerful work, I think, because there’s so little chaff there; Faulkner is controlling himself more and not giving into the tendency to ramble, as he can in his novels occasionally. (I prefer Melville’s short fiction for basically the same reason.)
Oh God, Easter Europa, I agree. I can barely get through any of Faulkner’s work, but I’ve always loved A Rose for Emily