A Rose For Emily and Other Short Stories

In what ways is Emily affected by the shadows of the past?

Explain how Emily has been shaped by the culture and historical period in which she lives.

Discuss her family's sense of its postion in society.

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Miss Emily isn't just shaped by the culture of the past.... she is a living example of the past. Emily never moves forward. First, she conceded to her father's plan to keep her home..... chasing away the suitors, sabotaging plans for marriage. She dutifully remained at home, and after her father died.... she got a bit wild, which made her the talk of the town. Then came Homer. He courted her, used her, and prepared to dump her, but Emily wasn't going to get dumped.... so she killed him and kept it a secret, all while silently continuing to be a part of the town in the only way she knew how. Emily never prepared for the future. She learned the ways of a gentle woman, which didn't even include keeping her own house. Her father was a big man in town, but even after his peers were no longer around, Emily couldn't see the changes. For her, all would remain the same. The world changed, the town changed, and Miss Emily..... she got older but stayed the same.

Source(s)

A Rose for Miss Emily