A Rose for Emily Short story essay

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Choose any short story you like well enough to write about. Your job is to analyze your writer's use of at least one literary technique to illustrate the theme of your story. Do NOT use any outside references for this assignment. Your only reference should be the story itself.

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Outlining Literary Essays Analyzing____________(title of work) I. Introduction A. Opening statement B. Purpose of writing C. Thesis statement II. Body A. First point of analysis 1. Supporting example or quotation (MLA citation) 2. Supporting example or quotation (MLA citation) B. Second point of analysis 1. Support (see above) 2. Support (see above) C. Third point of analysis 1. Support (see above) 2. Support (see above) III. Conclusion A. Summary of main points B. Thesis re-stated C. Significance of the work D. Recommendation IV. Works Cited Bailon 1 Analyzing “A & P” “A & P” by John Updike is a typical example of a short narrative that reflects on stereotypes, social norms, and categories used by people to define others. The story is full of metaphors that signify categories that people apply to certain groups. The author assigns the narrator, Sammy, to be the rebel. He stands up for the girls, opposes judgment, prejudice, and discrimination. The short story shows the reader how easy it is for humans to be prejudicial and discriminate against those who are different. In this analysis, I would like to reveal parts of the text where Updike shows the real nature of prejudice and discrimination. “A & P” welcomes anyone who fits into well know categories by workers and visitors. Some of these categories are mothers who shop for their kids, families, and young people who are discreet. Another category is one that does not comply with the unwritten social norm. For example, the girls walking into the store in their swimming outfits, is unacceptable. The description of the customers, by Sammy, reveals that there are standard categories that every person in the town is trying to fit in. The characters that belong to one of the accepted groups of society in the quiet town frown upon the girls who look out of place. One example is when Updike says, “A few house slaves in pin curlers even look around after pushing their carts past to make sure what they had seen was correct” (Updike 6). That example reflects that while going out shopping with pin curlers in the head is completely acceptable for the house slave’s category; it is not acceptable to walk into the store wearing a swimming suit. Sammy uses several categories to easily describe the people and categorize them. One of the categories is house slaves. Other people belong to the group of responsible married men, and others are in the old party category (Updike 6). There are set categories in the town, not far Bailon 2 away from Boston, but it is far from the large city based on mentality. It is a closed community that rejects every type of non-conformity. Prejudice and discrimination is not only present among the house slaves, who might be jealous of the girls' youth, but also determines the store manager's attitude towards the girls. When he sees the girls, he has two options: ignore them and wait until they finish their shopping, or defend the moral of the locals by making remarks about their inappropriate clothing. He chooses the second option because he wants to impress the majority, and fit himself in. Lengel, the store manager tells the girls: “That’s policy for you. Policy is what the kingpins want. What the others want is juvenile delinquency” (Updike 7). Lengel claims that he complies with policy; however, he simply confirms social norms generally accepted by the majority of the town's residents. He does not want to argue, as it is not the right thing to do, but he believes that it is his job to remind the girls about social norms. He thinks that he needs to protect the interest of people and the community by not allowing delinquency. This protectionism is causing the rejection of new ideas. He does not tell women not to go in the shop with curlers, as it is accepted by most people. He does not only accept social norms, but owns them. Sammy represents the person who is open to new ideas, accepts people who are different, and stands up by those oppressed. In school, he would be the one who stops the bullying of minority kids. He would be the first one to start a conversation with them. Unlike other people in the store, he does not believe that he belongs to a category. He does not expect others to belong to one, either. He creates individual categories for people in the store, and does not want to place them in a box. He creatively analyzes the appearance of the girls. The author mentions, Bailon 3 “The door flies open and they flicker across the lot to their car Queenie and Plaid and Big Tall Goony-Goony” (Updike 7). Sammy does not agree with social norms, and feels restricted by them. He feels like he needs to do something to show his dissatisfaction, and he simply quits. It is a quiet resistance, but he stands up for his values and beliefs. He tries to defend the girls, telling Lengel that he did not have to embarrass them (Updike 7). When he sees that it is impossible to reason with those who have social norms embedded in them, he quits. Through the story of the girls' visit to the store, Updike shows the readers how restrictive and damaging social norms can be. They can result in rejecting people, prejudice, and lack of openness. The short story shows the reader how easy it is for humans to be prejudicial and discriminate against those who are different. I think “A & P” is rightly well-regarded. It shows how Updike can take an everyday ordinary event and opens it up. It also shows how it might change the person who experiences the event. I recommend reading “A & P.” It is a great short story. Bailon 4 Works Cited Updike, John. “A & P.” Literature: Craft and Voice. Central Texas College Edition. Ed. Nicholas Delblanco and Alan Cheuse. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. 4-8. Print. Bailon 5 Outline I. Introduction A. Reflections of short story B. The story shows how easy it is to be prejudicial and discriminate against different categories. II. Body A. Categories 1. “A few house slaves in pin curlers even look around after pushing their carts past to make sure what they had seen was correct” (Updike 6). B. Rejection 1. “That’s policy for you. Policy is what the kingpins want. What the others want is juvenile delinquency” (Updike 7). C. Sammy, the rebel 1. He tries to defend the girls, telling Lengel that he did not have to embarrass them (Updike 7). III. Conclusion A. Summary of main points B. Thesis restated C. Recommendation Thank you, Jose; your essay earns a grade of 94/A.
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Attached.

Symbolism and Point of View in ‘A Rose for Emily’– Outline
Thesis statement: In ‘A Rose for Emily’ Faulkner has used symbolism and point of view to
deliver his central message effectively.
I.

Introduction

II.

Symbolism

III.

Point of View

IV.

Conclusion


Surname 1
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Symbolism and Point of View in ‘A Rose for Emily’
Introduction
The short story ‘A Rose for Emily’ by William Faulkner is set in an old house in
Jefferson, Mississippi. The events in the narrative occur approximately from 1863 to 1933
during the slavery era. The short story is about a Southern lady called Emily Grierson whose
father dies and leaves her financially unstable. His death affects her because she is a noble
Southern lady of high social class. The people of her town do not approve of her lifestyle
especially her romantic relationship with Homer Baron, who is from a lower social class. She
is trapped in a community determined to make her stay in her role, a community unwilling to
accept change, and change is a central theme in the story. Because of disapproval from the
community, Emily isolates herself in her house, with detrimental consequences. Faulkner has
used symbolism and point of view to deliver his central message effectively.
Symbolism
Writers often employ the technique of symbolism to reveal to the reader more details
about the characters without expressly revealing them, such details as the intangible attributes
of characters. William Faulkner uses objects in the story to represent certain things. For
example, the Grierson family house may describe how what we think make us happy can
make us sad. This is because Emily wanted a home, but she is miserable when she isolates
herself in the house. This represents the irony of Emily’s life. She wanted a house where she
co...


Anonymous
Very useful material for studying!

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