Literally - or just looking at the meaning in the story itself - she has been isolated all of her life and has been sleeping next to the corpse of Homer Barron, a ';carpetbagger'; (derogatory Southern term for a Northerner who came to the South to profit from or exploit the South) businessman/contractor. The rumors among the townsfolk are that she has apparently poisoned Homer because she wanted to marry him, but he apparently did not want a long-term relationship. The story portrays both Emily's deceased father and Emily herself as very strong-willed and the story makes it clear that living alone for so long after her father died has driven her to the edge of insanity. As a tale of suspense, Emily's isolation is a plot device which explains what may have driven her to kill Homer.
If isolation itself could be said to have a meaning, it probably would have a meaning only if you view the story within the context in which it was written. Although not written until well into the 20th century, the action in Faulkner's story takes place many years before during a period in American history when the South was still experiencing a slow cultural and financial recovery from the disastrous consequences of the Civil War. It has been argued by critical scholars that Emily (who Faulkner describes as a true Southern belle in a very traditional sense) represents the traditions the South was still holding onto such as de facto segregation which Faulkner believes held them back compared with the Northern states who made a much better recovery from the war. Using this critical lens, Emily's isolation and the fact that she basically goes crazy as a result of being isolated illustrates a sub-theme of the story, that the South itself should not try to remain culturally isolated from its Northern counterpart.Have you read ';A rose for Emily'; by William Faulkner? What meaning does the author gives to isolation in story
because she has sex with a dead person. her father.
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