Analysis on the Writing Technique of A Rose for Emily.doc

analysis on the writing technique of a rose for emilyabstract: the language of this novel is very special. the author uses some figure of speech which is rather interesting and amazing. what we should pay more attention is the writing technique of this novel, which enables the article more vivid and attractive. introduction“william cuthbert faulkner (september 25, 1897 july 6, 1962) was an american writer of novels, short stories, poetry and occasional screenplays. the majority of his works are based in his native state of mississippi. faulkner is considered one of the most important writers of the southern literature of the united states, faulkner is known for an experimental style with meticulous attention to diction and cadence. in contrast to the minimalist understatement of his contemporary ernest hemingway, faulkner made frequent use of stream of consciousness in his writing, and wrote often highly emotional, subtle, cerebral, complex, and sometimes gothic or grotesque stories of a wide variety of characters including former slaves or descendants of slaves, poor white, agrarian, or working-class southerners, and southern aristocrats.” 1. skillful rhetoricat the very beginning, the author describes miss emilys house “only miss emilys house was left, lifting its stubborn and coquettish decay above the cotton wagons and the gasoline pumpsan eyesore among eyesores”. this description is a personification . “stubborn” means determined not to change your opinion or attitude. the word is always used to describe a persons character, while the author should use it to emilys house. besides, “coquettish” means a woman who behaves in a way that is intended to attract men. the word is common in women, but the author should use it for emilys house. naturally, the house is just a common object and has no typical characteristics. however, it is the author that endow emilys house with human features. we know everything existing in the world has its own value. the author doesnt design it accidentally. after we read the whole novel we can realize that miss emily owns the same character. virtually, the house symbolizes miss emily in some degree. the author presents the protagonists figure without being noticed, which is skillful.secondly, the deputation went to visit miss emily, when they saw her, the author describes her in a surprising way. “she looked bloated like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hue. her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough as they moved from one face to another while the visitors stated their errand ”. here the author uses simile twice. the first sentence gives readers a feeling, miss emily lakes on energy and very fat which seems unhealthy, even we feel disgusting or frightening. the second sentence is more interesting, the author regards miss emilys eyes as two small pieces of coal. comparing with her fat and pallid face, her eyes are more obvious. whats more, the author uses a verb “press”. it seems that miss emily looks quite unharmonious which is not only interesting but also ridiculous. at the same time, the author is making preparation for the following text.2. unique imagination“when we saw her again, her hair was cut short, making her look like a girl, with a vague resemblance to those angels in colored church windowssort of tragic and serene”. this novel is told by a resident living in the village. from the former narration, we know that people dont like her because of her arrogant. here they should connect miss emily with angels. in our mind, angels are happy and without any sorrow, but they said “sort of tragic and serene”. it indicates that people have changed their attitudes a lot; meanwhile they begin to show sympathy for miss emily. the author is good at adding some extra feelings subjectively to an irrelevant object, just as the description of miss emilys house. in fact, angels have no tragedy and the house isnt coquettish. however, when we relate them to miss emily, all of these become reasonable.besides, when miss emily went to buy the poison, it is the second time that the author described miss emilys facial condition in detail. ”she was over thirty then, still a slight woman, though thinner than usual, with cold, haughty black eyes in a face the flesh of which was strained across the temples and about the eye sockets as you imagine a lighthouse keepers face ought to look”. whats the authors purpose? dose the author just want to tell us what miss emily look like? why not imagine her anything else but a lighthouse keeper. maybe she was waiting for somebody or something all the time, but it is said that lighthouse keepers sight fills with black. therefore, unfortunately, her expectation was never being met. here “cold eyes” are good explanations for her disappointment. however, she was still haughty. the author doesnt describe emilys activities inner heart directly but reflecting her inner thought or conditions though a series appearance. we all know that a persons inner thought is too complicated to describe. its wise for the author to avoid it. furthermore, it gives readers enough space to think a lot and will leave them a deep impression.3. thought-provoking implicationthere is also a very interesting description in her funeral. “the very old men some in their brushed confederate uniforms .” why did the old men wear their confederate uniforms attend the funeral? it sounds quite strange or even more ridiculous. in fact, miss emily represents some brave people who have courage to challenge the feudalism. it is the reason why the author molded her rebel. under oppress of the society, people all need courage to break the rules. miss emily did it. at this point, she was accepted and admired by the people in the town. therefore, people treated her funeral seriously. in the novel, the author reflects some more essential ideas through the description of peoples wearing several times, which bring us not only humor but also attractive .in our mind, rose represents beautiful love. reading after the novel, we find something ugly, disgusting or disordered rather than favorable. here the author set symbo