A Rose For Emily: Post-Colonial Theory

A Rose For Emily / Blinkist

    

    William Faulkner's tale, A Rose For Emily, mirrors a post-colonial lens as Ms. Emily experiences multiple forms of oppression through her aristocracy status. Being a woman in the post-civil war South, her social and political morals were rejected in the eyes of the townspeople. Emily faces a superior standing amongst the townspeople (Hunter), as they attempt to interfere with her life by being highly judgemental and gossipy about her. We, as the readers can see how Ms. Emily is viewed as this outcast in this eminent inferiority that rattles the town.

   

    Understanding the social dynamics in the town, Ms. Emily is viewed as basically... a symbol of the old Southern aristocracy - the enduring legacy of colonialism and social hierarchy. "Alive, Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town..." (Faulkner 327). Emily's character can be interpreted as an emblem of resistance against the forces of change and modernization represented by the town leaders and authorities in a political aspect. Her refusal to conform to societal expectations, such as paying taxes or adhering to social normalities, can be seen as an act of defiance against the impinging influence of the new South (Hunter). As stated in the text, "On the first of the year they mailed her a tax notice. February came, and there was no reply. They wrote her a formal letter, asking her to call at the sheriff’s office at her convenience. A week later the mayor wrote her himself, offering to call or to send his car for her, and received in reply a note on paper of an archaic shape, in a thin, flowing calligraphy in faded ink, to the effect that she no longer went out at all. The tax notice was also enclosed, without comment" (Faulkner, 327).

    Emily's resistance ultimately leads to her isolation and downfall, bringing attention to the limitations of individual resistance within oppressive systems. "Thus she passed from generation to generation—dear, inescapable, impervious, tranquil, and perverse" (Faulkner 330). This reflects Emily's complex identity, as she embodies both the traditions of the old South and the changing culture of the town. Her inability to reconcile her past with the present ultimately speaks to the tensions of cultural defiance in post-colonial societies (Hunter).

    The exact transition from the old South to the new South in "A Rose for Emily" reflects broader themes of identity formation in post-colonial societies. The clash between tradition and progress, represented by Emily and the townspeople, undermines the complexities of cultural change. Emily, herself, embodies this, as she is a product of the old Southern aristocracy. Knowing this as the reader, we witness her social status collapse as the townspeople gossip. "So the next day we all said, 'She will kill herself'; and we said it would be the best thing" (Faulkner 331). The narrative constructed by the townspeople definitely raises questions about whose voices are privileged and whose are overlooked. 

    "We did not say she was crazy then. We believed she had to do that. We remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will" (Faulkner 332). Emily's resistance against the social normalities imposed by the town, as she clings to the memory of her father's status and refuses to conform to societal expectations becomes very clear throughout the tale. 

    Ms. Emily's inability to reconcile her past with the present contributes to her tragic fate and serves as a pitiful narration on the challenges of navigating Faulkner's literature through a post-colonial lens. As her status declines, the oppression faced, both socially and politically becomes evident through the predicament she undergoes.

Review: "A Rose For Emily" / Emile Bulut

Works Cited

Faulkner, William. "A Rose For Emily" Using Critical Theory: How to Read and Write About Literature, Lois Tyson, Routledge, 2014, 327-334.

Faulkner, W. (n.d). A Rose for Emily: Summary of Key Ideas and Review. A Rose for Emily. Https://www.blinkist.com/en/books/a-rose-for-emily-en 

Hunter, A. (2018a, October 10). Why “A Rose For Emily” is a representation of Reconstruction South. Medium. Https://medium.com/@alexhunter365/why-a-rose-for-emily-is-a-representation-of-reconstruction-south-46c4b31978c8 

Bulut, E. (n.d.). How “A Rose For Emily” Weaponizes Nostalgia - Emile.Bulut. emilebulut.com. Https://emilebulut.com/blog/2021/how-a-rose-for-emily-weaponizes-nostalgia