Answer the following question in as much detail as possible. Try to find quotations to justify all your answers.
1.
What does the title of the story suggest about the townspeople’s feelings toward Miss Emily? Why do they feel this way about her?
(Or: What does she represent to them?) Is there anything ironic about their feelings?
2.
From what viewpoint of the story narrated?
3.
What does this viewpoint suggest about the nature of the
Southern town?
4.
How does Chapter 1 of ‘A Rose for Emily’ begin? Where does
Faulkner begin his story? What has just happened? Think about structure.
5.
‘When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral’. Why did the men go to the funeral? Why did the women go to the funeral?
6.
We are given a description of her house. Using quotations how does the writer use the house as a reflection of its owner? What does the description of Miss Emily’s house say about her character?
7.
In paragraph three the time line of the story changes. What happens?
8.
Why did Miss Emily believe she did not have to pay her taxes?
9.
Find a quotation which shows Miss Emily believed this story?
10.
In paragraph four the time line shifts again, we move forward a generation. What did this generation do about Miss Emily’s taxes and how did Miss Emily react?
11.
What action does the Mayor then take with regards to the taxes?
How does Miss Emily react to this?
12.
When the Board of Aldermen eventually appeared at Miss Emily’s door, what scene are they met with?
13.
How does Miss Emily appear to the Aldermen?
14.
When they ask Miss Emily about the tax notice, how does she reply?

Discussion
 What incident in the first chapter show Miss Emily lived very much in the past and struggled to come to terms with changing times.
 Are there any incidents in the first chapter which show Miss
Emily’s inability to deal with death?
 The writer uses many descriptive words to characterise Miss Emily.
Using reference to the text how could this description be said to be ironic? (Think about her frame, body, voice) Discuss the descriptions of Miss Emily’s appearance. Why do you think the author included them?
 The writer uses the same technique to describe the house which mirrors Miss Emily. Using reference to the text, which words and phrases describing the house are ironic.
 How do the townspeople know what they know about Miss Emily’s life? What is the source of their information?