In "A Rose for Emily" there are narrators from Emily's town who are older since they are familiar with the past history of her family and the town. In the introduction, for instance, the narrators remark that when Emily was alive
Miss Emily had been a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town, dating from that day in 1894 when Colonel Sartoris, the mayor....remitted her taxes....With the next generation, with its more modern ideas....
And, these narrators continue the history of Miss Emily and her family's relation to the town. At one point in part II, they remark, "We did not say she was crazy then." Furthermore, the narrators seem involved in this history of Emily as they continue,
At first we were glad that Miss Emily would have an interest, because the ladies all said, 'Of course a Grierson would not think seriously of a Northerner, a day laborer.'
That these narrators are older women seems evident in their "gossipy" recounting of the story of Emily and in their commentary on situations such as
we all said, 'She will kill herself.' and we said it would be the best thing.
They are familiar with Emily's family, as well, expressing gratitude in part III when Emily's cousins come:
We were glad because the two female cousins were even more Grierson than Miss Emily had ever been.
Continuing in their older lady, gossipy tone, the story ends,
Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward, that faint and invisible dust dray and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair.
No comments:
Post a Comment