September 17 th , 2013

 A symbol is an image, object, or person that represents something more than itself.
 Things, people, and actions can be symbols.
 Symbolism refers to the use of meaningful symbols in literature and art.
 An object is symbolic if it holds meaning beyond its literal meaning.
 The meaning of a symbol often changes in different contexts.

 Denotation refers to the literal meaning of a word, void of any emotional associations.
 Connotation refers to the emotional implications that accompany a word, separate from its literal meaning.
 When you view the following symbols, try to describe their literal meaning (denotation) AND their emotional implications (connotation).

 Think of a symbol that holds meaning for you. It can be anything – the mascot of a sports team (a raven for the Baltimore Ravens), a religious symbol (the cross for Christianity), a political symbol (the elephant for the Republican party), or a universal symbol (a dove for peace).
 What is the difference between the denotation and connotation of that symbol? Why do you think that symbol has become representative of its associated meaning?

William Faulkner’s short story “A Rose for Emily” tells the story of a woman who is a relic of a vanishing era.
While we read, I want you to consider exactly what she and other characters could represent symbolically.

The story is set in the Antebellum period in the
Southern United States (right after the Civil War).
The main character, Emily Grierson, is part of a oncewealthy family who has fallen on hard times after the
Civil War (1861-1865).
The story probably takes place in a predominately white
Southern neighborhood in the 1870s-1880s.

The story has some challenging words, and it also has some extremely offensive words. While reading, if you are not comfortable saying these words, you DO NOT have to say them.
Racism is a fairly important issue in the story, and the offensive words in the story are meant to highlight how racist and discriminatory the culture was in this place and in this time period.