People who read about William Faulkner (1897-1962) know that he did not lead an easy life. He had the bad habit of drinking way too much, but above all he was very lonely. In his short story A Rose For Emily, Emily becomes very important because it represents in some way Faulkner himself. Even though she was perceived as an idol from the town, she felt very lonely. Everyone in town considered Emily as monument, and if you describe something as a monument, you mean that it is a very good example of the results or effects of those qualities, such as her father. Her father was a great person who was respected by everyone, and the town thought that Emily would take her father's place. After Emilys fathers death, the situation changed, but people in town did not notice it. Emily became depressed. People also thought that she had a strong personality because she dominated the neighbors. Of course, the town members, who are perhaps represented by the unnamed narrator, were ready to get rid of this weight, but in some way they were tied down. Her father was the last that surrounded her. They found it impossible to directly confront her - to evict her for not paying taxes to approach her about the awful stench coming from her house. Also, when she went to the drugstore and requested the best poison that exist, arsenic, the pharmacist asked her Why she wanted this poison? He proceeded and said The law requires you to tell what you are going to use it for. She did not answer to his question, but the pharmacist let her go because she dominated him. Once again she succeeded in confronting people in the town and the authorities. They were trapped by their own belief that Emily was untouchable. The town did not face her directly and did not deal with her as an equal. A monument can also be interpreted as something that is immobile, that does not move. Now and then people would see her in one of the downstairs windows. She was standing silen...
