A Rose for Emily

1. A Rose for Emily By William Faulkner

2. Southern Gothic: A Definition • Southern Gothic Literature is a sub-genre of gothic literature (think Poe!) focusing on character, social and moral shortcomings in the American south; it reached its height between 1940-1960s.

3. Southern Gothic Characteristics • Often comments on society’s negatives or weaknesses to point out truths of America’s southern culture • Often disturbing but realistic

4. Characteristics Continued… • Plot relies on unusual, disturbing, supernatural, or ironic events • “A Rose for Emily” provides a good example of Southern Gothic Literature using unusual events to guide the plot

5. Southern Grotesque • Grotesque Characters or Situations– deeply flawed - characters, decayed (often rural) settings, evil or disturbing events (often linked to racism, poverty, violence, moral corruption) • Examples: 1. A character’s negatives/undesirable characteristics allow the author to show/comment on unpleasant aspects of southern culture. - racial bigotry, crushing poverty, violence, moral corruption or ambiguity 2. Something physical in the setting is unusual and often broken

6. Themes • Old South versus New South • Emily represents the Old South • Old traditions – • Example: Miss Emily is told by Colonel Sartoris that she is excused from paying taxes • A man’s word is his bond • Chivalry • Hospitality • Sense of community/family • Honor • Loyalty

7. Themes Continued… • Decorum and propriety: what is proper at a given time and place. * Appearances are very important.

8. Themes • The problems of the human heart in conflict with itself

9. Literary Terms to Focus On • Setting: time and location in which a story takes place • Customs and social conditions of the time • Ex: Racial stereotyping in the South • Irony: Unexpected twist in a story • Verbal • Situational • Dramatic • Tone: The attitude the writer takes toward the subject of a work, the characters in it, or the audience. • Mood: Feeling WE get when we read a story

10. Literary Terms Continued… • First Person: One of the characters tells the story; talks directly to the reader • Uses the pronoun “I,” “me,” “we,” or “us” • Third Person Limited: The narrator will focus on the thoughts & feelings of just one character - Reader experiences the events of the story through the memory and senses of only one character • Third-Person Omniscient- “All-knowing” - An all-knowing narrator who refers to all the characters as “he” and “she.” Knows the thoughts and feelings of ALL of the characters. *The narrator is not necessarily the story’s author*

11. Big Words I Don’t Know • virulent powerful, deadly • impervious immune • tranquil quiet, peaceful • perverse odd, not normal • sibilant hissing • macabre horrible, grotesque • acrid a bitter, irritating odor • pall a deathly quiet • cuckolded betrayed (a man by his wife) • inextricable impossible to be separated from • remitted paid • edict an official order • archaic out-of-date • vindicated proven to be right • pauper poor, destitute • noblesse obligenobility obliges (and obligates) • circumvent to go around • cabal small group of conspirators