Connecting Literary Works
Melanie Thomas
ENG 125
Cicely Young
September 19, 2008
Abstract
In learning to read fiction well, the readermust understand something about its plot and structure, character, setting point of view, style and language, symbol, irony, and theme. (DiYanni, 2007, p. 49) The stories that will be highlighted are “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner, “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara and “Homage to My Hips” by Lucille Clifton.
The Townspeople verses Miss Emily
In the story “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner (DiYanni, 2007, pp. 78-84) the story informs us that Miss Emily is not a people person. She is indeed someone who does not appreciate visitors and appears to be a recluse. She is the kind of person that the townspeople do not understand and cannot relate to. No one knows why she wants to be a recluse, but everyone will find out after her death.
The story begins by letting the reader know that the whole town attended the funeral of Miss Emily Grierson, but for different reasons. The men attended out of respect for a fallen monument and the women mostly out of curiosity to see the inside of her home, which no one except an old manservant, a combined gardener and cook had seen in the last ten years. The beginning of the story is used to excite the reader’s interest in reading the rest of the story.
This story is narrated from a third person’s point of view and is told from the townspeople. Miss Emily appeared to be a very mysterious person to everyone that lived in the town. Mr. Faulkner described the appearance of the house, which gives the reader the impression that the house used to be beautiful decorated and was the home of a verywealthy person. (DiYanni, 2007, p. 79) The reader can tell that Miss Emily was a person who had once had great wealth, but for some reason was not able to continue the upkeep of her home. The story states that the house was once white (DiYanni, 2007, p. 79) decorated with cupolas...