The Theme of Isolation in A Rose for Emily When an author establishes the characters, he or she is simultaneously attempting to develop the theme of the story. An author uses various elements such as point of view, setting, and symbols to work toward expressing a central idea. Watching “A Rose for Emily”. a short story by William Faulkner, it is evident that Faulkner successfully conveys one main idea throughout the play, the idea of ​​being isolated from society. One of the most effective elements that Faulkner uses in developing this main idea is the use of imagery. . He depicts Emily's father as "a looming possessive figure, a figure of total control and domination" (Gwin 31). Emily has no say in what happens in her life. The narrator describes the image of the two. We have long thought of them as a painting, Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a sprawled figure in the foreground, his back to her and holding a riding crop, the two of them framed by the door 'remote entrance. So when she was thirty and still single, we were not really happy, but justified; even with the madness in the family, she wouldn't have turned down every chance she had if it had actually materialized. The description in this quote conjures up the image of the father keeping Emily at home with him. Through his selfishness, he isolates her from the rest of “normal” society, separating Emily from other girls her age, depriving her of the joy and pleasures experienced by most of her peers. Faulkner uses her father's death as a symbol to bring to the forefront a harsh realization for Emily that she was now truly alone. This definitely happened in the middle of a paper. There was a constant conflict within her between the duty to obey and honor her father's wishes, that she remain isolated from society, and her desire to live her life. on its own terms and to play a role in normal society, no matter how small. Unfortunately for Emily, this conflict was never resolved. Even in death, her father was happy that Emily died a fragile, lonely and withdrawn woman, just as he had taught her to be. Works cited and consulted Backman, Melvin. Faulkner: The Growing Years, a Critical Study. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1966Faulkner, William. “A rose for Emily.” Literature: an introduction to fiction, poetry and drama. Ed. XJ Kennedy. New York: Harpers Collins, 1991. P. 24-31 Gwin, Minrose v. The feminine and Faulkner: reading (beyond) sexual difference. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1990