A-Rose-for-Emily-英文分析及简评

“ARoseforEmily”isdividedintofivesections.ThefirstsectionopenswithadescriptionoftheGriersonhouseinJefferson.Thenarratormentionsthatoverthepast100years,MissEmilyGrierson’shomehasfallintodisrepairandbecome“aneyesoreamongeyesores.”ThefirstsentenceofthestorysetsthetoneofhowthecitizensofJeffersonfeltaboutEmily:“WhenMissEmilyGriersondied,ourwholetownwenttothefuneral:thementhroughasortofrespectfulaffectionforafallenmonument,thewomenmostlyoutofcuriositytoseetheinsideofherhouse,whichnoonesaveanoldmanservant–acombinedgardenerandcook–hadseeninatleasttenyears.”ItisknownaroundtownthatEmilyGriersonhasnothadguestsinherhomeforthepastdecade,exceptherblackservantwhorunserrandsforhertoandfromthemarket.Whenanewcitycounciltakesover,however,theybegintotaxheronceagain.Sherefusestopaythetaxesandappearbeforethesheriff,sothecityauthoritiesinvitethemselvesintoherhouse.Whenconfrontedonhertaxevasion,Emilyremindsthemthatshedoesn'thavetopaytaxesinJeffersonandtospeaktoColonelSartoris,althoughhehaddied10yearsbefore.Insectiontwo,thenarratorexplainsthattheGriersonshadalwaysbeenaveryproudSouthernfamily.Mr.Grierson,Emily’sfather,believesnomanissuitableforhisdaughteranddoesn'tallowhertodate.Emilyislargelydependentuponherfather,andisleftfounderingwhenhedies.AfterMr.Grierson'sdeath,Emilydoesnotallowtheauthoritiestoremovehisbodyforthreedays,claimingheisstillalive.Shebreaksdownandallowsauthoritiestotakethebodyawayforaquickburial.SectionthreeintroducesEmily’sbeau,HomerBarron,aforemanfromthenorth.HomercomestoJeffersonwithacrewofmentobuildsidewalksoutsidetheGriersonhome.AfterEmilyandHomerareseendrivingthroughtownseveraltimes,Emilyvisitsadruggist.There,sheaskstopurchasearsenic.Thedruggistaskswhatthearsenicisforsinceitwasrequiredofhimtoaskbylaw.Emilydoesnotrespondandcoldlystareshimdownuntilhelooksawayandgivesherthearsenic.WhenEmilyopensthepackage,underneaththeskullandbonessigniswritten,ForRats.CitizensofJeffersonbelievethatMissEmilyisgoingtocommitsuicidesinceHomerhasnotyetproposedinthebeginningofsectionfour.ThetownspeoplecontactandinviteEmily'stwocousinstocomforther.Shortlyaftertheirarrival,HomerleavesandthenreturnsafterthecousinsleaveJefferson.AfterstayinginJeffersonforonenight,Homerisneverseenagain.AfterHomer’sdisappearance,Emilybeginstoage,gainweight,andisrarelyseenoutsideofherhome.Soon,MissEmilypassesaway.ThefifthandfinalsectionbeginswithJeffersonwomenenteringtheGriersonhome.Aftertheyarrive,Emily'sblackservantleavesthroughthebackdoorwithoutsayingaword.AfterEmily'sfuneral,thetownspeopleimmediatelygothroughherhouse.Theycomeacrossaroomonthesecondfloorwhichnoonehadseenin40years,andbreakthedoordown.Theydiscoveradustyroomstrangelydecoratedasabridalroom.Theroomcontainsaman'stie,suitandshoes,andasilvertoiletsetwhichMissEmilyhadpurchasedforHomeryearsbeforehisdisappearance.Homer'sremainslayonthebed,dressedinanightshirt.Nexttohimisanimpressionofaheadonapillowwherethetownspeoplefindasingle“longstrandofiron-grayhair.”ItisthusimpliedthatnotonlyhadEmilykilledHomerwiththearsenic,butalsohashadanintimaterelationshipwithhiscorpseuptoherowndeath.简评：MissEmilymetHomerBaron,aforemanwithaconstructioncompany,whenherhometownwasfirstgettingpavedstreets.Herfatherhadalreadydiedbut,notbeforedrivingawayhereligiblesuitors.AsrumorscirculateaboutherpossiblemarriagetoaYankee,Homerleavestownabruptly.Duringhisabsence,MissEmilybuysratpoison.WhenHomerreturns,thetownspeopleseehimenterMissEmily’shousebutnotleave.Onlywhenshediesdothetownspeoplediscoverhiscorpseonabedinherhouseand,nexttoit,astrandofMissEmily’shair.ThisGothicplotmakesseriouspointsaboutwoman’splaceinsociety.Throughoutthestory,thereaderisawarethattheseeventsaretakingplaceduringatimeoftransition:Thetownisfinallygettingsidewalksandmailboxes.Moreimportant,valuesarechanging.Theoldermagistrates,forexample,lookedonMissEmilypaternallyandrefusedtocollecttaxesfromher;theneweronestry,unsuccessfully,todoso.Caughtinthesechangingtimes,MissEmilyistrappedinherroleasgenteelspinster.Withoutahusband,herlifewillhavenomeaning.Shetriestogivelessonsinpaintingchinabutcannotfindpupilsforthisout-of-datehobbyandfinallydiscontinuesthem.IfHomeristhinkingofabandoningher,ashisdepartureimplies,onecanunderstandherdesiretoclutchatanysortofunion,evenamarriageindeath.Thethemeisdevelopedthroughanexceptionallywell-craftedstory.Toldfromathird-personpluralpointofview,itrevealsthereactionsofthetowntoMissEmily.Asthis“we”narratorshiftsallegiance--nowcriticizingMissEmily,nowsympathizingwithher--thereaderseesthetrapinwhichsheiscaught,andtheextensivebutunobtrusiveforeshadowingpreparesthereaderforthestory’sfinalrevelationwithoutdetractingfromitsforce.