”At the heart of the modernist aesthetic lay the conviction that the previously sustaining structures of human life, whether social, political, religious, or artistic, had been either destroyed or shown up as falsehoods or fantasies” (Norton 1814). Thus literary features such as sequence or unity turned out to be only “expressions of a desire for coherence”. This “false order” had to be renovated to express the new interpretation of the world as a broken image. As a consequence, modernist literature abandons former traditional ideals. Instead of the tyranny of chronology, it is the construction out of fragments that now becomes a key formal characteristic. Without showing any linear sequence of events, Faulkner’s narrative technique in ”A Rose for Emily” mirrors exactly this modernistic ideal. By avoiding the chronological order of events, Faulkner gives the reader a puzzle consisting of fragments. Nevertheless, he gives hints that make it possible to put these fragments together and thus reconstruct the chronology of the life of Miss Emily Grierson. In order to find out “what dates are carved on [her] tombstone” (Moore 196) the reader has to become active which is a common attribute in modernist texts.
“A chronology of ‘A Rose for Emily’”, as stated by McGlynn, “is useful for at least two reasons: it makes the plot more easily comprehensible, and it helps clarify the function of time in the story”.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Problems of Chronology
- Part I
- Part II
- Part III
- Part IV
- Part V
- Conclusion
Objectives and Key Themes
The objective of this paper is to reconstruct the chronology of William Faulkner's short story "A Rose for Emily," focusing on the narrative techniques used to present the fragmented timeline. The analysis will examine how Faulkner manipulates the chronology to create a puzzle for the reader, highlighting the modernist aesthetic of the text.
- Modernist Narrative Techniques
- Fragmentation of Time and Memory
- The Role of the Narrator
- Reconstruction of Emily Grierson's Life
- Thematic Exploration of Social Change and Isolation
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This chapter introduces the modernist aesthetic and its rejection of traditional chronological narratives. It establishes the central argument: Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" uses a fragmented, non-linear structure to reflect the fragmented nature of modern experience, challenging the reader to actively reconstruct the chronology of Emily's life. The chapter highlights the importance of understanding the story's chronology to comprehend both the plot and the thematic function of time within the narrative.
Problems of Chronology: This section analyzes the challenges in establishing a precise chronology for "A Rose for Emily." It explains the narrative voice as a communal perspective, drawing from observations, gossip, and speculation. The narrative's structure, moving between flashbacks and a present-day framing device, further complicates the timeline. The chapter introduces the different types of evidence (internal and external) used to piece together the events, emphasizing the reliance on internal evidence within the text itself. It also identifies the initial difficulties in connecting the different fragments of the narrative.
Part I: This part begins with Miss Emily's death, immediately establishing the present-day context. The description of her house and its association with the post-Civil War era provides the first contextual clues. The mention of the tax exemption in 1894, granted by Colonel Sartoris after her father's death, provides the only explicitly stated date. However, the exact relationship between her father's death and the tax exemption remains unclear, setting up a central ambiguity that fuels the chronological puzzle. The chapter discusses the limitations of the information presented, highlighting that while several clues are introduced, they are not yet sufficient to build a complete chronology.
Part II: Building upon the previous section, this chapter delves further into Emily's life through flashbacks. It connects the timeline to her father's death, revealing that she was around thirty when he passed and that the unpleasant odor appeared two years after, following her sweetheart's desertion. The introduction of Judge Stevens, the eighty-year-old mayor, and the mention that the odor was noted thirty years prior to the aldermen's visit, provides crucial evidence for refuting previous attempts to synchronize her father's death with the tax exemption. This section refines the chronological possibilities, demonstrating the importance of seemingly incidental details in unraveling the narrative.
Part III: This section continues the progression through Emily's life, detailing her courtship with Homer Barron and purchase of arsenic. It establishes that Emily was in her early thirties when her father died and that her relationship with Homer followed. The purchase of arsenic occurs a year after the beginning of her relationship with Homer, further solidifying chronological relationships between key events. The connection to the previous odor and the tax dispute provides additional chronological constraints; this part shows how the scattered details, when pieced together, begin to create a more coherent, albeit still incomplete, timeline of her life. This segment also highlights the challenges in correlating the various events with the explicit date of 1894.
Part IV: This section marks a shift towards a more linear narrative, following the chronology more directly. The community's judgment of Emily's relationship with Homer and the actions taken are detailed, providing a clearer narrative progression. The analysis focuses on how the reversed chronological order of the first half of the story impacts the reader’s understanding, before explaining how the structure becomes less complicated as the narrative unfolds in a closer-to-chronological order in this part. This transition emphasizes the author's deliberate manipulation of time to control the reader's experience.
Keywords
Modernism, chronology, narrative technique, fragmentation, William Faulkner, A Rose for Emily, stream of consciousness, flashback, time, memory, social commentary, Southern Gothic.
Frequently Asked Questions: William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" - A Chronological Analysis
What is the purpose of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive overview of a chronological analysis of William Faulkner's short story "A Rose for Emily." It includes a table of contents, objectives and key themes, chapter summaries, and keywords. The analysis focuses on how Faulkner manipulates the chronology to create a puzzle for the reader and explores the modernist aesthetic of the text.
What are the main objectives and themes explored in the analysis?
The main objective is to reconstruct the chronology of "A Rose for Emily," focusing on Faulkner's narrative techniques. Key themes include modernist narrative techniques, the fragmentation of time and memory, the role of the narrator, the reconstruction of Emily Grierson's life, and the thematic exploration of social change and isolation.
What are the major challenges in establishing a precise chronology for "A Rose for Emily"?
The narrative voice presents a communal perspective, combining observations, gossip, and speculation. The non-linear structure, moving between flashbacks and a present-day framing device, complicates the timeline. Differentiating between internal and external evidence and connecting fragmented narrative pieces present significant challenges.
How does the analysis approach the reconstruction of the chronology?
The analysis systematically examines each part of the story. It identifies and interprets clues from within the text (internal evidence), connecting seemingly unrelated details to create a more coherent timeline. It addresses the limitations of the available information and acknowledges the inherent ambiguities within the narrative.
What are the key narrative techniques used by Faulkner to manipulate the chronology?
Faulkner utilizes flashbacks and a non-linear structure to present a fragmented timeline. The reversed chronological order in the early parts of the story significantly impacts the reader's understanding. This manipulation of time is deliberate, controlling the reader's experience and creating a sense of mystery and suspense.
What role does the narrator play in the fragmented chronology?
The narrator acts as a communal voice, reflecting the collective memories and perspectives of the town. This collective narration contributes to the fragmented and sometimes unreliable nature of the chronology. The narrator’s perspective is crucial in understanding how information is presented and interpreted.
How does the analysis interpret the significance of specific events in Emily's life?
The analysis carefully examines key events such as Emily's father's death, her relationship with Homer Barron, and the purchase of arsenic. It connects these events chronologically, revealing how the seemingly scattered details contribute to a richer understanding of both plot and theme. The analysis also clarifies relationships between the time of these events and the established date of 1894 (tax exemption).
What is the significance of the story's non-linear structure?
The non-linear structure reflects the fragmented nature of modern experience. By challenging the reader to actively reconstruct the chronology, Faulkner forces an engagement with the story's themes of memory, time, and social change. The non-linear structure is not merely a stylistic choice, but a crucial element for understanding the story’s meaning.
What are the key thematic concerns addressed by the analysis?
The analysis explores the modernist aesthetic, the fragmented nature of memory and time, the role of the community in shaping perceptions, and the thematic exploration of social change and isolation in the American South. These themes are inextricably linked to the story's non-linear narrative structure.
What are the key words associated with the analysis of Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily"?
Key words include Modernism, chronology, narrative technique, fragmentation, William Faulkner, A Rose for Emily, stream of consciousness, flashback, time, memory, social commentary, and Southern Gothic.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Davina Ruthmann (Autor:in), 2005, The Chronology in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily", München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/74363
