1. Why do you think Faulkner gave the story its name? What does it symbolize?
I think Faulkner gave this story its name because he felt pity for Emily. It was always something bringing Emily down. She received bad news after bad news. We use roses and flowers to show sympathy for a situation or for someone. They just said, "Poor Emily. Her kinsfolk should come to her. (Faulkner 235).
2. What is the significance of the long strand of iron-gray hair at the end of the story?
The color of her hair had a meaning to it. Maybe the gray getting darker over the years represents all of the things she went through. I also believe that guilt ate her alive. She killed a man she loved. When we next saw Miss Emily, she had grown fat and her hair was turning gray. During the next few years it grew grayer and grayer until it attained an even pepper-and-salt iron-gray, when it ceased turning. Up to the day of her death at seventy-four it was still that vigorous iron-gray, like the hair of an active man (Faulkner 349).
3. What incidents foreshadow the fate of Homer Barron? Did you expect the ending? Miss Emily's relationship with Homer is so frowned upon by the community that her relatives are called in to stop it. Cousins of hers came in town. I expected the ending once she was seen buying those items. The people in town thought that she was about to kill herself. It was very obvious once they stated that Mr. Homer was seen going into her house but never coming out.
4. What do the people of the town wanting a public blowing-off tell you about them? Do you think the people contributed to Emilys actions? How?
I think that it shows that they really did not have the best intentions. Whoever agrees to a public blowing-off is really trying to embarrass the person rather than offer a helping hand and encouragement. Yes, I think that they did encourage her actions. I believe that they put so much into her head and confused her to the point where she did not know what to do or who to believe. I think that her family should have gave her advice...
