Imagery & Imagination: The Psychological Ideal of the Gothic Explored in WIlliam Faulkner’s “ A Rose for Emily”
Mentor 1
Nicholas Sloboda, Department Chair
Location
Union 181
Start Date
24-4-2015 1:40 PM
Description
I will be exploring William Faulkner’s use of the gothic genre to show the development of characteristics in the story of “A Rose for Emily”. In doing so, I will also be examining elements of gothic literature that Faulkner explores within the story. During my research of the story, I explored three gothic elements that are in the story: reality vs. illusion, grotesque imagery, and themes of darkness. When analyzing the text, I noticed the different characterizations of dark themes between the setting of Faulkner’s fictional city and of the character’s depth within the story. There are many perspectives to look at in gothic literature, such as how imagery can appear grotesque, but are truly figments of the imagination; and how reality and illusion make distinct comparisons throughout Faulkner’s story. “A Rose for Emily” brings out ironic characteristics within the protagonist within the story, which in turn gives the audience a sense of illusion, and making out the reality within the illusion. The story has all the defining characteristics of a typical gothic story, which is the concept of irony in the character, the difference between light and dark (reality vs. illusion), and the exaggerated (grotesque) imagery that lurks within the story. “ A Rose for Emily” makes the audience question the protagonist because of how in her mind she wants a certain reality, but to the other characters in the story, she is creating an an illusion which may seem to be reality to the main protagonist; which captures the essence of the gothic that Faulkner portrays so well in the story. I will be exploring William Faulkner’s use of the gothic genre to show the development of characteristics in the story of “A Rose for Emily”. In doing so, I will also be examining elements of gothic literature that Faulkner explores within the story. During my research of the story, I explored three gothic elements that are in the story: reality vs. illusion, grotesque imagery, and themes of darkness. When analyzing the text, I noticed the different characterizations of dark themes between the setting of Faulkner’s fictional city and of the character’s depth within the story. There are many perspectives to look at in gothic literature, such as how imagery can appear grotesque, but are truly figments of the imagination; and how reality and illusion make distinct comparisons throughout Faulkner’s story. “A Rose for Emily” brings out ironic characteristics within the protagonist within the story, which in turn gives the audience a sense of illusion, and making out the reality within the illusion. The story has all the defining characteristics of a typical gothic story, which is the concept of irony in the character, the difference between light and dark (reality vs. illusion), and the exaggerated (grotesque) imagery that lurks within the story. “ A Rose for Emily” makes the audience question the protagonist because of how in her mind she wants a certain reality, but to the other characters in the story, she is creating an an illusion which may seem to be reality to the main protagonist; which captures the essence of the gothic that Faulkner portrays so well in the story.
Imagery & Imagination: The Psychological Ideal of the Gothic Explored in WIlliam Faulkner’s “ A Rose for Emily”
Union 181
I will be exploring William Faulkner’s use of the gothic genre to show the development of characteristics in the story of “A Rose for Emily”. In doing so, I will also be examining elements of gothic literature that Faulkner explores within the story. During my research of the story, I explored three gothic elements that are in the story: reality vs. illusion, grotesque imagery, and themes of darkness. When analyzing the text, I noticed the different characterizations of dark themes between the setting of Faulkner’s fictional city and of the character’s depth within the story. There are many perspectives to look at in gothic literature, such as how imagery can appear grotesque, but are truly figments of the imagination; and how reality and illusion make distinct comparisons throughout Faulkner’s story. “A Rose for Emily” brings out ironic characteristics within the protagonist within the story, which in turn gives the audience a sense of illusion, and making out the reality within the illusion. The story has all the defining characteristics of a typical gothic story, which is the concept of irony in the character, the difference between light and dark (reality vs. illusion), and the exaggerated (grotesque) imagery that lurks within the story. “ A Rose for Emily” makes the audience question the protagonist because of how in her mind she wants a certain reality, but to the other characters in the story, she is creating an an illusion which may seem to be reality to the main protagonist; which captures the essence of the gothic that Faulkner portrays so well in the story. I will be exploring William Faulkner’s use of the gothic genre to show the development of characteristics in the story of “A Rose for Emily”. In doing so, I will also be examining elements of gothic literature that Faulkner explores within the story. During my research of the story, I explored three gothic elements that are in the story: reality vs. illusion, grotesque imagery, and themes of darkness. When analyzing the text, I noticed the different characterizations of dark themes between the setting of Faulkner’s fictional city and of the character’s depth within the story. There are many perspectives to look at in gothic literature, such as how imagery can appear grotesque, but are truly figments of the imagination; and how reality and illusion make distinct comparisons throughout Faulkner’s story. “A Rose for Emily” brings out ironic characteristics within the protagonist within the story, which in turn gives the audience a sense of illusion, and making out the reality within the illusion. The story has all the defining characteristics of a typical gothic story, which is the concept of irony in the character, the difference between light and dark (reality vs. illusion), and the exaggerated (grotesque) imagery that lurks within the story. “ A Rose for Emily” makes the audience question the protagonist because of how in her mind she wants a certain reality, but to the other characters in the story, she is creating an an illusion which may seem to be reality to the main protagonist; which captures the essence of the gothic that Faulkner portrays so well in the story.
