A Rose for Emily

The story “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner in my opinion was a very interesting story to read. The story is about an old and troubled woman named Emily Grierson who, because of her father's death, had become one of the towns’ obligations and also one of its’ problems. Emily is a very stubborn old lady who refused to pay her taxes because of a little tale that Colonel Sartoris, who was the mayor at the time, had told her. He had told her that her father had lent the town some money and because of it in a way of paying her back all of her taxes were remitted. Faulkner portrayed Emily's character to be very stubborn and by the end, made people think she was crazy. He develops this through many things but the main thing was by her actions to different situations and the way she lived her life.

Emily is an old lady who is very stubborn. Faulkner manages to show this through different events that happen in the story and how she reacts towards them. One of the events that happened was when Emily received a tax notice in the mail telling her that she has to pay her taxes. At this point in time Colonel Sartoris had been dead, and there was no recollection in the city’s files of what he had told her. Because she had refused to send any money to pay her taxes an alderman had shown up at her door to settle the situation. When he told her she had to pay her taxes Emily simply said "I have no taxes in Jefferson." The gentleman continued insisting that she pay her taxes. Emily believed that she was right that she continued to say "See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson." This was the first time Faulkner showed how stubborn Emily could be. She told the alderman to leave and that was the end of it. The second incident that showed Emily was stubborn and a little crazy was when she went to that pharmacy to buy some poison. "I want some poison; I want the best you have. I don't care what kind." This gave me the impression that she was a little “off” and that it was...