Initial Personal Reaction: A Rose for Emily made me
feel very deep compassion and pity for Emily. She was stuck in the past and was
in love with a gay man. Emily loved and wanted to be with Homer even though it
was heard around town that he only liked men and was not a marring man. This
story made me think about days of being a young high school student trying to
get attention from a guy I had the biggest crush on, but he just wanted to be
nothing more than just my friend.
Literary Element/Thematic Analysis: The story is set
in a southern town around a time that being African American and gay would get
you killed! I believe that Faulkner illustrates how the town feels about Emily,
which is fragile hopeless lady. However, they fail to realize how she lives in
the past and would kill for love! Emily purchased Arsenic and the town assumed
she would kill herself, but in fact she was using it for Homer so she could
have him forever. Homer was most likely just using Emily so people in town wouldn't catch on that he was actually gay. In my point of view I think the “Rose” represents love,
passion, and vulnerability and Emily was conflicted with all three.
Questions/Comments: Do you think Emily killed Homer
because he was gay and wouldn’t marry her?
