Character
What is the name of Emily's servant?
Tobe
Where does Emily Grierson live?
Jefferson, Mississippi
What order of events is the story told in?
Non-chronological order
This unusual point of view using the word "we" represents the narrator's collective voice
First-person plural
Faulkner calls Miss Emily a "fallen monument," comparing her to something revered yet decayed. What device is being used?
Metaphor
How was Homer first described in the story?
Charismatic, sociable, and most likely unwilling to settle
What is eerie or unsettling?
The strong, gross, deathly smell in Emily's house
What is the structure?
Non-linear
The narrator often relies on rumors and speculation, making them an example of this type of narrator
Unreliable narrator
Emily’s house is described as having “stubborn and coquettish decay,” giving human qualities to a non-human thing. What device is used to do this?
Why was Emily isolated for most her life?
Her father's influence and controlling nature
What is modern south?
Society moving forward into the early 1900s which Emily finds trouble accepting
What is the climax?
The townspeople exploring the Attic
The non-linear narrative structure reflects the South's own struggle with this after the Civil War
“She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water.” What figurative device is this?
Simile
How does Mr. Grierson's influence continue to shape Emily even after his death?
She is lonely and is hesitant to expand herself
The house represents...
decay, isolation, and modernization
What is the resolution of the story
Emily’s isolation and mental decay are confirmed
Where in the Southern Social hierarchy did Emily fall into?
Instead of directly revealing Homer’s death, Faulkner plants hints through an awful odor and townspeople’s suspicions. What figurative device does this?
Foreshadowing
Whose point of view is the story told in? and What did they think of Emily?
The townspeople, they pitied and revered the Grierson household
Emily refuses to change/update her house because...
She refuses to move on with the time and stay stuck in the past
What effect does the structure have on the story?
Structure builds mystery and tension while advancing the story
The narrator's silence about Emily's servant reveals this oppressive system of the South that erased certain voices
Systemic racism
Emily’s iron-gray hair in the pillow next to Homer’s corpse represents both her lingering presence and her power over time. This is done using what device?
Symbolism