Tanya Caswell

English 1118

April 3, 2011

Character and Setting Comparison

“A Rose for Emily”, by Faulkner, and “The Story of an Hour”, by Chopin

In William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and Chopin’s “The story of an Hour”, the

reader is given a observation in to the two lives of old, sick women living in two different

worlds, than from reality of others, but sharing many similar characteristics. An analysis of “The

Story of an Hour”, and “A Rose for Emily”, reveals a clear comparison between Chopin's and

Faulkner's use of setting and character.  The houses and character description are elements of

setting utilized by both authors, while attitudes towards love and attitudes towards death are

aspects of character utilized by each author. 

 Character Comparison

Love

In the comparison of “A Rose for Emily”, by Faulkner, and “The Story of an Hour”, by Chopin,

attitudes towards love are aspects of character utilized by each author. Louise wants are partially

revealed in the story. Throughout the story, she believes her husband’s death will set her free,

and never considers her the role her illness plays, or takes responsibility for her own willingness

to be cared for instead of taking care of herself. The entire story is centered on her life and the

events that happen to her, revolving around her relationship and love for her husband. She

undergoes dynamic change, most of which does not show on her face. Perhaps no one has known

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what she is thinking for a very long time. Mrs. Mallard had a heart condition, which made her

health fragile. It is also possible that because of her heart, she has been protected from life for a

long time. Her husband’s death is a reality that must be shared. She wants to be an independent

woman. She believes she does not want to have to rely on anyone. Louise wants to live her life in

the way that she wants, and not have to answer to anyone. She wants, “spring days, and summer

days, and all sorts of days that would be her own”. Chopin’s has the reader believing that Louise

was once in love with her husband, but now wants to be on her own. “Her stories about strong

women have really been paid attention to in relation to this century’s sexual liberation debate”

(Analyze av Kate Chopin’s novella "). Also Chopin’s writing referred to, “Chopin's feminism

certainly is a major theme, but an instructor must be careful not to overstate it. Chopin seems to

have believed that men and women alike have great difficulty reconciling their need to live as

discrete individuals with their need to live in close relationship with a mate; these conflicting

needs lie at the center of her work” (Peggy Skaggs), which was closely related to her story, ‘The

Story of an Hour”.

“A Rose for Emily”, by Faulkner, is not set in the same structure, but has the same meaning.

Emily seems that she is in love with Homer, but then something may have changed her mind and

she did not want him around anymore. Emily motives were unclear throughout the story. Was

she looking for love? Was she a cold hearted murderer? Clues were given to make the reader

explore her attentions. Article myriad’s article follows these claims, “Miss Emily’s erratic and

idiosyncratic behavior becomes outright bizarre, and the reader, like the townspeople in the

story, is left wondering how to explain the fact that Miss Emily has spent years living and

sleeping with the corpse of Homer Barron” (Article myriad).

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The town seemed to be concerned on Emily’s love life, “So when she got to be thirty and was

still single…”Everyone in the town, including the narrator, was worried about when and who she

was going to marry. As is Faulkner’s writing, “The South is a place where community and social

structure influence a person's life heavily.  Faulkner, from his own Southern upbringing,

understood this and used this theme over and over again in his work’ ( UNCP ). In Emily’s time,

women were expected to marry, raise children, and make their husbands happy. This maybe why

everyone is worried about Emily’s life. Emily was not seen as normal women should have been

seen. Where’s Louise’s relationship, everyone thought of it as a normal relationship, except for

Louise.

In paragraph 44, William Faulkner adds clues to Emily’s relationship with Homer

Barron. The town said she will marry him, or Emily will persuade him yet. Why would she have

to persuade him? Does she need to be told what to do in her own life? The town makes it seem as

Emily cannot do anything on her own. The town is obsessed with the fact that Emily and Homer

are together, or are they not together. In paragraph 15, states that Emily had a long time

sweetheart that left her. Emily may still have feelings for this man. Emily may have been in love

with her sweetheart, than he broke her heart. Was she taking that anger out on other men

(Homer). Was she afraid of getting hurt again?

Stories, “A Rose for Emily”, and “The Story of an Hour”, the motivations for the characters

towards love was unclear. Both women seemed that they wanted to be in love, as for Louise she

married a man, so she was at one point in love with him. Emily, throughout the stories referred to

her wanting love and looking for love. By the end of the stories, both women had ended their

relationship with love. Both stories ended the relationship with their death. Both authors wrote

stories that affected their personal lives. Chopin writing reflected the century that she lived in;

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“In 1975 Susan Cahill called the story "one of feminism's sacred texts," and many readers have

since concluded that Kate Chopin's sensitivity to what it sometimes feels like to be a woman is

on prominent display in this work—as it is in The Awakening. Chopin's often-celebrated

yearning for freedom is also on display here—as is her sense of ambiguity and her complex way

of seeing life. It's typical of her to note that it is both "men and women" who "believe they have a

right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature"(T H E K A T E C H O P I N

I N T E R N A T I O N A L S O C I E T Y ) .

D e a t h

In the comparison of “A Rose for Emily”, by Faulkner, and “The Story of an Hour”, by

Chopin, attitudes towards death are aspects of character utilized by each author. Both of the

stories start with love than end up in death. In “The story of an hour”, Louise was the one that

had died. In the stories “A Rose for Emily”, the author throws a twist to death with the one that

she appears to be in love with dies followed by her death.

The American society of Authors and writers revealed, “One of Faulkner's primary themes is the

abuse of blacks by the Southern whites. Because his novels treat the decay and anguish of the

South following the Civil War, they are rich in violent and sordid events.  But they are grounded

in a profound and compassionate humanism that celebrates the tragedy, energy, and humor of

ordinary human life“(American Society of Authors and writer).

“The Story of an Hour”, by Chopin, Louise Mallard changes significantly throughout the course

of the story. She went from being hurt by her husband’s death, to slowly changing her mind

about how she feels. Louise starts to realize that she is now on her own, and free, at last. As any

women would feel, “She wept at once, with sudden, wild abandonment, in her sister’s arms.” At

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this point in the story Louise Mallard seems to react as many women would when finding out

that their husband has died. The feel of being alone, abandoned, and lost. As the story goes on,

Louise Mallard feelings seem to change, change in an unexpected way, a way that most women

do not react. Louise starts to feel that she is a free, single, and independent. Following,” Women

had, as aforementioned, literally no rights whatsoever at the time this short-story was put on

paper. The situation has changed almost dramatically today. This short-story was written at a

time where it was common sense and tradition that women were inferior to men in status and

opportunities” (Analyze av Kate Chopin’s novella).

Louise expresses this well, confidently, “She said it over and over under her breath.” Free, free,

free!”, “Free! Body and soul free!” She believes she does not want to have to rely on anyone.

Saying that, “Mrs. Mallard gets in touch with life, starts to hear sounds and to smell scents which

she didn't feel before. Why? What happened? Does she really start to notice it all only after her

husband's death? Yes, and the author gives us even more details, emphasizing it, not yet giving

the answer why she starts to feel this way” (Hellum).

Louise wants to live her life in the way that she wants, and not have to answer to anyone. She

wants, “spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own”. This shows

that Louise may have not been happy in her marriage. Perhaps that care she received from her

husband because of her illness restricted her. Being shielded from everyday life stifled her. She

may have felt tied down, and lonely. She was unable to do what she had wanted to do all of her

life. Now she has the rest of her life to be able to be independent.  

In the story, “A Rose for Emily”, her motive was not as clear as what Emily wanted and felt

towards Homer. Paragraph 60, reveals clues leading to Emily’s motivation towards death. Emily

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had set up a bridal room, “…Everywhere upon this room decked and furnished as for a bridal:

upon the valance curtains of faded rose color, upon the rose-shaded lights, upon the dressing

table, upon the delicate array of crystals and the man’s toilet things backed with tarnished

silver…” . Emily wanted to get married, perhaps to Homer. She had all the items needed for her

wedding, but without the groom. By having the curtains faded, she had this room set up for

awhile. Finding Homer in her house dead, “A thin, acrid pall as of the tomb…”, and in a room

reveals that she wanted him around until she died. She may have wanted him to marry her, and

he didn’t want to, so she killed him. He could have died of natural causes, and she wanted to

keep him around, because she was scared o be alone. As far as we know Emily was an only

child, and had no children of her own. Emily was never married, so she didn’t have the chance to

have children. There may be some resentment there or maybe she did not want any children, so

she did not marry.

Both of the character in these stories had a clear relationship to death. Louise died at the end of

the story after seeing her not dead husband, and Emily died at the end of the story, perhaps

killing her loved one.

Setting Comparison

“The Story of an Hour”, by Chopin and “A Rose for Emily”, by Faulkner

In both of the stories; “A Rose for Emily”, by Faulkner and “The Story of an Hour”, by Chopin,

the authors uses setting to enhance their stories. The houses and character description is an

important element to both characters in both of the stories, “A Rose for Emily”, by Faulkner and

“The Story of an Hour”, by Chopin.

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House

Both authors in the stories, “The Story of an Hour”, and “A Rose for Emily”, the house is

significant meaning to the characters setting. Louise Mallard uses the items in her house as well

as the weather towards her description. First of all, maybe the most important, the chair. The

chair represents the future of Louise’s life, a life that was once sheltered and controlled. As the

character looks at the chair she notices that it was roomy, like her life is going to be, without her

husband. As she sank into the chair she felt comfortable, relieved, and free. Propaganda gave

hinds relating this topic, “When she is in her room, she is characterized as an intelligent, strong,

but also a repressed woman. We get hints of her being trapped in an unhappy marriage, which

was usual at that time” (Propaganda).

  The physical exhaustion that was haunting her body that would not let her go was finally gone.

There was nothing that could stop her. Chopin makes sure that the reader under stands the chair,

“There stood, facing the open window, a comfortable, roomy armchair. Into this she sank,

pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her

soul.” The physical exhaustion that was haunting her body that would not let her go was finally

gone. “The fourth paragraph’s content, which revolves around the period of time where Louise

has just entered her room, is fairly surprising. Everyone would expect Louise to weep with agony

and pain, but instead she sits calmly down: "There stood, facing an open window, a comfortable,

roomy armchair." The interested reader will already here discover that something is terribly

wrong, since a word like comfortable is used. A newly widowed woman would probably not

look upon a chair as comfortable shortly after receiving the terrible news; the most likely

reaction would rather be to smash the chair into pieces” (Analyze av Kate Chopin’s novella).

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There was nothing that could stop her. As Louise looked out the window she noticed how the

clouds meet and piled one above the other. Chopin express this, “There were patches of blue sky

showing here and there through the clouds that had met and piled one above the other in the

west facing her window w.” The clouds represent how Louise life is going to be organized and

free. As seasons change, new life arises. Her life is budding; a new life rises. Louise is starting

her new life, as she wants it. As Louise looks out the window, “She could see in the open square

before her house the tops of the trees that were all aquiver with new spring life.”    A life that

once was winter, cold and lonely when she was unable to leave the house is changing to a new

spring life, colorful, open, and beautiful.

In the stories “A Rose for Emily”, not much detail was revealed about her house, but what was

said had great meaning. Faulkner tone toward Emily’s house was meaningful, "It was a big,

squarish frame house that had once been white, decorated with cupolas and spires and scrolled

balconies in the heavily lightsome style of the seventies, set on what had once been our most

select street.” which made the readers have a visual of her old house. Faulkner used in his

writing items that were related to his personal life. Miss Emily’s house maybe a replica of

Faulkner’s house during his marriage.

Faulkner uses his life in his stories, “In 1929, Faulkner married Estelle Oldham Franklin, his

childhood sweetheart, who had recently been divorced.  The following year, the young couple

purchased a traditional Southern pillared house in Oxford, which he named Rowan Oak.  It was

typically ornate, with immaculate grounds and mature trees.  Architecture was important to the

author.  He restored Rowan Oak to its previous glory, named some of his books after various

buildings (The Mansion), and depicted them in his writings with great care and deliberation”

(American Society of Authors and writer).

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Miss Emily’s house had mysterious meaning to the town, and to the reader. The house was

significant in Emily’s life, “After her father passed away, she fell in love with a Yankee named

Homer, rebelling against the traditions her father upheld. Emily greatly deteriorated after

Homer’s death and became a mysterious recluse to the townspeople – a woman holed up in a

once magnificent house that occasionally omitted a strange smell and whose only visible resident

was a black butler. ” (A Rose For Emily: A Character Study)

Emily’s house took after what her life meant, “Faulkner begins his tale at the end: after learning

of Miss Emily’s death, we catch a glimpse of her dwelling, itself a reflection of its late owner.

The house lifts “its stubborn and coquettish decay” above new traditions just as its spinster is

seen to do, “an eyesore among eyesores” (MR Renaissance)

Character description

Character description is an important element to both characters in both of the stories, “A Rose

for Emily”, by Faulkner and “The Story of an Hour”, by Chopin; William Faulkner uses

character description in detail in Emily’s appearance. In The beginning of the story, the town

seems to convey her as beautiful, magnificent, popular women. “Everyone went to her funeral.”

When you think of someone that everyone wants to see, you think of someone with some great

importance .Faulkner’s writing style, “master of a rhetoric, highly symbolic style” (A Glimpse

into the writing style of William Faulkner), used it many of his stories. Paragraph 6, William

Faulkner speaks of Emily Roses appearance, “Her skeleton was small and despair, perhaps

that’s why what would have been merely plumpness in another was obesity in her”, by

describing her as a small, fat, women in black. The description of Emily is very unfavorable.

“Miss Emily “had grown fat and her hair was turning gray” (Faulkner 2164). This failure to

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attend to her personal appearance and to perform what mental health practitioners call the “tasks

of daily living” (Article myriad).

Stating that she wore black, may reflect that she could reveal that she was a cold hearted

woman. The description appears to have all negative statement about Emily, portraying her to be

unpleasurable, unwanted or even evil. Emily maybe over weight because, “…She no longer went

out at all.” Emily never left her house, and always had her servant go out shopping for her.

Emily’s description was very detailed, “In the opening characterization, many descriptive words

foreshadow the ultimate irony at the climatic ending: “her skeleton was small and sparse,” “she

looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water and of that pallid hue” (667).

We learn that “her voice was dry and cold” and that she did not accept no for an answer (667).

Her house, a fading photograph, “smelled of dust and disuse—a closed, dank smell,” and when

her guests are seated a “faint dust” rises “sluggishly about their thighs” (667). All of these terms

suggest neglect, decay, entropy: each of these elements tie in with the surface layer as well as the

deeper themes upon which Faulkner tiers” (MR Renaissance).

In paragraph 6, William explores Emily’s eyes. Eyes that was lost in the fatty ridges of her face.

There is mystery in her eyes, “Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small

pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough as they moved from one face to another while the

visitors started their errands”, mystery that she does not want anyone to uncover.

In paragraph 59, William Faulkner uses explicit detail in Emily Roses appearance. Emily became

thinner that she has been before. It was stated that she had been sick, that maybe why she is

thinner. Emily could have been under some stress. Emily may have started losing weight when

she meets Homer Barron. Emily’s eyes were cold, and black. By this statement appears to

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Emily’s evil, lonely, and controlled life. Faulkner uses hidden clues, “It would seem that

Faulkner is trying to tell us something on another level if we will pay careful attention. Is Emily

a portrait, a tableau vivant of a past that clings on in its own tenacious ways, disturbing the

otherwise tranquil flow of the future” (MR Renaissance)

While Faulkner used character description a lot in his stories, Chopin did not. What Chopin used

for description in his stories, “The Story of an Hour”, was very detailed and meaningful towards

Louise Mallard. The physical description of Louise Mallard is very brief, but, yet says so much

about her. Chopin makes sure the reader knows the appearance of Louise, “She was young, with

fair, calm face, whose lines bespoken repression and even certain strength.”The lines that

bespoken, since we know she is young, allow the reader to see the stress that she has gone

through. The stress that has held back her from being independent, and living life as she wants.

The calm face shows that she is a gentle, caring, soft woman.

In conclusion, In William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” and Chopin’s “The story of an

Hour”, the reader is given a observation in to the two lives of old, sick women living in two

different worlds, than from reality of others, but sharing many similar characteristics. An

analysis of “The Story of an Hour”, and “A Rose for Emily”, reveals a clear comparison between

Chopin's and Faulkner's use of setting and character.  The houses and character description are

elements of setting utilized by both authors, while attitudes towards love and attitudes towards

death are aspects of character utilized by each author.  Both characters, Emily, and Louise, have

a secret than not one knows.

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Work Cited

Article myriad,Psychological Character Analysis of Emily in “A Rose for Emily” by William

Faulkner, NA, April 01 2011.

<   ww.articlemyriad.com/rose_emily_analysis.htm>

NA.A Rose for Emily and Other Short Stories Characters, NA, April 02 2011.

<http://www.gradesaver.com/short-stories-of-william-faulkner/study-guide/character-list/>

NA. A Rose for Emily: A Character Study. NA. April 01 2011.

<http://www.exampleessays.com/viewpaper/45120.html>

Eric Knickerbocker, MR Renaissance. March 15, 2003. April 01 2011.

<http://www.mrrena.com/misc/emily.shtml>

American Society of Authors and writer. N.d. April 02 2011.

<http://www.amsaw.org/amsaw-ithappenedinhistory-092503-faulkner.html>

K a t e C h o p i n . o r g , T H E K A T E C H O P I N I N T E R N A T I O N A L S O C I E T Y .

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Analyze av Kate Chopin’s novella "The Story of an Hour", n.d. April 04 2011.

<http://www.daria.no/skole/?tekst=150>

 Natalia Dagenhart, Hellum: American Literature. March 11, 2008. April 02 2011.

<http://www.helium.com/items/921234-literary-analysis-the-story-of-an-hour-by-kate-chopin>

Hannah Weinstock, Propaganda. 2007. April 01 2011.

<http://www.propaganda.net/skoleside/?stil=7887>

Bleikastan, Andre.  The Ink of the Melancholy.  Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1990.

April 05 2011.

<http://www.uncp.edu/home/canada/work/canam/faulkner.htm>

Lauren H , A Glimpse into the writing style of William Faulkner, Flower Mound, TX. N.d. April

03 2011.

http://www.epinions.com/book-review-52A3-DC45C5E-38EBD686-prod2

The Mississippi writers page, William Faulkner. N.d. April 04 2011.

http://www.olemiss.edu/mwp/dir/faulkner_william/

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Peggy Skaggs, George town. N.d. April 10 2011.

<http://www9.georgetown.edu/faculty/bassr/heath/syllabuild/iguide/chopin.html>

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