A Rose for Emily's House

A Rose for Emily’s House What makes a short story a classic? What separates a story from one that is read and taught in thousands of schools across the nation? In his short story "A Rose for Emily," William Faulkner uses symbolism to compare the Grierson house with Emily Grierson's physical deterioration, her shift in social standing, and her reluctance to accept change. When compared chronologically, the Grierson house is used to symbolize Miss …

…townspeople. This single comparison by itself provides indisputable evidence that Emily Grierson and her family's house are strongly related with one another. So, it should now be obvious that the relationship between the Grierson’s house and Miss Emily Grierson's physical deterioration, shift in social standing, and reluctance to accept change, is too precise to be construed coincidental. It is the beautiful use of symbolism that separates average, everyday short stories from the truly classic.