Literature Comparison Paper - Faulkner Vs. Poe

Literature Comparison Paper - Faulkner vs. Poe

The literary theme I chose for this paper is death. In this class, this particular theme stood out to me because the use of death usually corresponds with sadness and despair. It is a topic that is rarely used in conjunction with love, especially love of the dead, which in this case, is necrophilia. Using two different literary forms, I will demonstrate how the authors develop this theme in their respective works. The first piece of literature I will discuss is a short story by William Faulkner, entitled A Rose for Emily. The second piece, a poem by Edgar Allan Poe, is called Annabelle Lee.

In A Rose for Emily, death is imminent throughout the story. The narrator gives allusions of death using vivid descriptions of Emily's environment and appearance. For example, Emily lives in "a squarish frame house that had once been white." (Schakel & Ridl, p. 362) This gives the reader the impression that the house was once full of life but has since diminished. The story further illustrates the house as smelling of "dust and disuse--close, dank smell." (Schakel & Ridl, p. 363) This also shows that the inside of the house has been abandoned and unkempt. The setting gives the reader an idea of the character's background by giving examples of her home, the place where she spends most of her time. I believe that by using the disripions given this help your mind developed a vision of death. As the story progress Falkner contiues to set uo this theme by use of all element how the out side of her house looked the couch inside was all cracked all this hint continue to inbed in your mind death.

Mainberger, 2

Aside from her miserable home, the theme is apparent in Emily's appearance. The narrator describes her as "a small fat woman in black with a thin gold chain descending to her waist and vanishing into her belt, leaning on an ebony cane with a tarnished gold head." (Shakel & Ridl, p. 363) "She looked bloated like a body long submerged in motionless water, and that pallid hue. Her eyes lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough." (Shakel & Ridl, p. 363) Her appearance is dismal, she had the face of a "lighthouse keeper." It is as if she is already dead. It is unwelcoming and scary. It gives the reader an insight into her personality and the type of person she is, which ultimately leads to the story's climax.

Although most of the story is focused on Emily's lonely life, it briefly mentions a man that she was deeply in love with. His name is Homer Barron. The narrator states that the people of the town often saw them together and that he disappeared one day without notice, never to be seen again. This is an integral part of the story