As a result, the Southern states had to submit to the changes whether they were willing to or not. Knowing this, it is not surprising the South held on to the issue of race for so long. Faulkner is conscious that the South has held onto these derogatory terms and has implanted them into the speech of the story’s occupants. The mayor, Judge Stevens, even states “[the smell] is probably just a snake or a rat that nigger of hers killed in the yard.” A political figure, the mayor, has used this derogatory term, yet back then the South would have seen it as a norm. The usage of the words “negro” and “nigger” illustrates that legislation may have changed, but the mindset of the South has not. Ultimately, the heartbeat of the South lies in its past, which is evident in Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily.” Through the personification of Emily as the South and multiple historical references, Faulkner has encapsulated the South’s sentiment regarding its history. Southern Gothic literature was written during a political and social transition; as a result, the genre’s works reflect the South’s glorification and romanticization of the
As a result, the Southern states had to submit to the changes whether they were willing to or not. Knowing this, it is not surprising the South held on to the issue of race for so long. Faulkner is conscious that the South has held onto these derogatory terms and has implanted them into the speech of the story’s occupants. The mayor, Judge Stevens, even states “[the smell] is probably just a snake or a rat that nigger of hers killed in the yard.” A political figure, the mayor, has used this derogatory term, yet back then the South would have seen it as a norm. The usage of the words “negro” and “nigger” illustrates that legislation may have changed, but the mindset of the South has not. Ultimately, the heartbeat of the South lies in its past, which is evident in Faulkner’s short story, “A Rose for Emily.” Through the personification of Emily as the South and multiple historical references, Faulkner has encapsulated the South’s sentiment regarding its history. Southern Gothic literature was written during a political and social transition; as a result, the genre’s works reflect the South’s glorification and romanticization of the