A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner: A New Ending - Essay Example

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner: A New Ending In the final section of this story, the author concludes by explaining what happens after Emily’s death. In this essay, an alternative ending to the story is offered. The funeral, which was to be held on the second day, was postponed due to heavy rains. It was practically impossible for the service to be conducted, and it was therefore agreed that the funeral be held on the third day. That morning, as the people gathered at Emily’s compound to pay their last respects, an elderly man showed up.

He claimed to have been engaged to Emily more than thirty years ago, although they never got married. He explained that he has a family of his own and only came to pay his respects to woman he once loved. Several weeks after the burial, the man was still living in Emily’s house. The townspeople were eager to have a proper look at Emily’s hose, including the rooms that had not been opened for decades. However, respecting the old man’s privacy, no one dared enter the house. It later emerged that he was the man that abandoned Emily almost thirty years earlier.

He was living alone in the neighboring town after having separated from his wife and children. The man stayed there for several months, and was rarely seen in public. To many of the townspeople, it was like Emily never died. The house was razed to the ground by a fire caused by what was suspected to be a gas cylinder explosion. The man’s body could not be retrieved since it was reduced to ashes. All the secrets the house held were completely destroyed. For many, the house held the only clue to the whereabouts of Homer.

Unfortunately, all these clues were destroyed. No one knows what happened to Homer. Works CitedFaulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Michael Meyer. 8th ed. New York: Bedford, 2008. 95-101