A Rose for Emily

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner was written based on life after the civil war in the Southern part of the United States. The main character, Miss Emily, is from a very well respected family in her town and is mourning the loss of her father. When her father died Miss Emily began to shut herself off from people in her community and the only person who was allowed to see her was her one negro servant. Before Miss Emily's father passed away, he arranged for Miss Emily that she would never have to pay taxes again. However, when Colonel Satoris became head of the city council, he wanted to change that. Colonel Satoris and other council men went over to Miss Emily's house and told her that she has to pay taxes just like all the other citizens. Miss Emily did not agree with Colonel Satoris's request for her to begin paying taxes, so Miss Emily kicked them out of her home and ignored what Colonel Satoris told her. Miss Emily had not been out in the town or even had anyone in her home since the man everyone believed was going to be her husband, Homer Barron, up and left her. After Homer left Miss Emily, people in the town started talking and saying that they think Miss Emily was going to commit suicide. Emily becomes very sad after all of this and begins to fall apart, gaining weight, looking much older and avoiding contact with the community. It was not long after that, that Miss Emily passed away. She was no longer happy and didn't have anything to live for her in eyes. The towns people come over to Miss Emily's house for the funeral and go through a tour of the home. The story takes a major twist at this point, when the towns people break down a locked door and find some very disturbing things. They find the remains of Homer Barron, which explains the horrid smell that is explained throughout the story by people in the town. This makes the town then believe that Emily killed Homer, not that Homer disappeared and left Miss Emily.