One of the main theme is the story is the theme of conflict between tradition and change, which has presented in a comprehensive way. Through the depictions of both physical and social setting, Faulkner has illustrated the conflict between past and change. Through the mysterious character of Emily Grierson, the author portrays the conflict that originates from trying to maintain past practices in an environment full of prevailing radical change. In the story, Emily’s Old South house is distinct and conspicuous among cotton gins and garages; therefore, the Old South house symbolizes tradition and the past while the garages and cotton gins depict modernity and change. Further, the conflict is depicted when the author portrays Jefferson as a character who is in a dilemma of embracing modern and a more commercial future while still not willing to leave the past, including the town cemetery where various anonymous soldiers from the civil war are laid to rest.
As a character, Faulkner depicts Emily as a tradition who does not adjust over the years despite the numerous changes in the community. As such, she is a living memory of the past, as she represents the numerous traditions that people desire to honor and respect. Notably, Emily does not want to embrace modern mail services when she refuses to have metallic numbers fastened into her house. Moreover, conflict between change and tradition is illustrated when the aldermen do not want to adhere to the unofficial agreement concerning taxes forged between Emily and Colonel Sartoris. The new crop of young leaders have contracted Homer’s company to pave the sidewalks, which is not easily accepted by the older people. At Emily’s funeral, most of the older men in their Confederate uniforms gather, depicting that they still hold the past since time is relative to them.
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Another theme is the power of death, which the narrator mentions from the beginning of the story by describing Emily’s life that is haunted by death to the demise of tradition due to the widespread of contemporary change. Emily slowly succumbs to death even though she tries to master it. According to the narrator, Emily is like a drowned woman who has a pale and bloated figure that has stayed too long in the water. In the story, the grand image of Emily who symbolizes the Old South as well her charm and respectability is declining rapidly, which is also similar to outdated sensibilities that the Griersons characterize. In the end, the narrator predicts that the old social order will die, despite the adamancy of many townspeople who want to cling to the old ways.
By denying the fact that death can occur, Emily is trying to exert power over death. The narrator reveals the weird relationship of Emily to dead men bodies. Typically, when her father dies, her necrophilia is revealed, illustrating that she is clinging to her father’s controlling figure. Consequently, she reluctantly gives up his body. Her necrophilia is also revealed when Homer dies, she does not want to come to terms with the death even though she is responsible for his death. Emily killed Homer so that she could have his body near her, which is a bizarre character. The grotesque marriage between Homer and Emily reveals Emily’s distressing effort to combine life and death. Nevertheless, death eventually wins.
The theme of isolation can be seen throughout the whole narrative as the story is about a character who is previously isolated from suitors by her father. Furthermore, because of her higher status, she is separated from most of the society, and, consequently, resorts to an isolation that is self-imposed. Emily never seemed to engage with other people in the community as a young woman since she lived with her father because they held themselves high as a family. Notably, Emily starts to knowingly isolate herself from the society when her father dies. Although her isolation is occasionally disturbed, she does not go in public.
The narrator, from the onset of the story illustrates the theme of love and dysfunction. Emily’s father is falling apart with the rest of the family due to property, thereby making Emily to conclude that there are is no assurance that true love really exists even among members of one family. As such, Emily is only left with her father to teach her about love. Moreover, the narrator, who symbolizes the voice of the townspeople describes Emily’s father as a mean person who does not want to associate with others in the community by driving Emily’s suitors away. Homer’s perspective of the relationship is merely platonic and cannot materialize. The relationship between Emily and Homer is mixed with love and dysfunction. Their relationship does not last long as predicted by the townspeople when Emily kills. Overall, Faulkner’s story structure is not written in a plot as the narrative is disorganized just like the main character’s life, Emily.
