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A Rose for Emily

William Faulkner

Start date: September 1, 2017

Finish date: September 30, 2017

Discussion: Short Story/Novella Collection

Why we're reading this: Short Story Classic-September 2017
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Short Story/Novella Collection

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What Members Thought

Sep 14, 2017 Kelly_Hunsaker_reads ... rated it it was amazing

Shelves: short-stories, american-lit, classics, read-in-2022

Faulkner has always intimidated me so when this story was chosen for a a group read I decided it was time to try, and I am so glad that I did. I enjoyed this story very much and it surprised me because I am usually disappointed in short stories. In fact, most of my favorite books would be considered big books. I like as much information as possible. Somehow Faulkner took 10 pages and told a story that was complex and surprisingly well fleshed-out. He gave the story so many layers of information, ...more

10 likes · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2017 Katy rated it liked it

A very short Short Story about the decay and traditions of the Old South. Very well written and a bit creepy.

5 likes · Like · see review

Aug 27, 2019 Suvi rated it really liked it

Shelves: 1900-1939, _north-america, short-stories, the-south, gothic

In the eyes of the Mississippi town she lived in, Miss Emily Grierson, living in isolation with her butler, was the embodiment of the decaying South, an object of gossip and ridicule, the town's communal obligation, and the symbol of the rigid past of Southern aristocracies. After her death, her secret is revealed, and it looks like it had been a desperate attempt to gain some control over her life.

Faulkner cloaks Emily in a mysterious and musty Southern Gothic aura, but still manages to create ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

May 27, 2024 Laura rated it liked it

Shelves: novellas, american-fiction, e-books, fiction-20th-century, read-2024, short-stories, southern-gothic

From Wiki:
Faulkner described the title "A Rose for Emily" as an allegorical title: this woman had undergone a great tragedy, and for this Faulkner pitied her. As a salute, he handed her a rose. The exact meaning of the word "rose" in the title in relation to the story, however, remains open to debate; no actual rose appears in the story. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review