"A Rose For Emily" by William Faulkner.

A Rose or A Thorn? In the story "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner, readers get an idea of a different time and place. He also portrays to us this old woman who has become a thorn in the townships side. Faulkner describes Emily as "a tradition, duty, and a care; sort of hereditary obligation upon the town" (246), but was this really just an old women unwilling to accept change? He puts you in …

…her father died it was as if she went crazy. She closed herself in her home, and distanced herself from everyone. Then along came this man who she finds herself in love with, only to find out he does not love her. She could not stand the thought of losing him and the thought of change again, so she murdered him. Was Emily truly a thorn or was she a rose who just never blossomed?