Today it is not as shocking for women to become pregnant outside of marriage as it is for people of the same sex get married and people move out of their race. However, these events caused a lot of noise before today. Often when we read literature we don't realize the role that time period plays in the underlying meaning. Such is the case in William Faulkner's story, A Rose for Emily, set in the late 1800s and early 1900s in a town in the far south of Mississippi. During this period, many things that were acceptable in 2017 were then frowned upon. By reading this story which takes place in a time very different from today, we discover how much things have changed. William Faulkner uses Emily's relationship with Homer and the other members of society to reveal the theme of tradition versus change. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Throughout the story, it is evident that Emily represents change, while the locals embody established traditional values. The contrast between the two reveals the effect that societal rules can have on a person. It is mentioned at the beginning of the story that “Miss Emily was a tradition, a duty, and a worry; a sort of hereditary obligation for the city” (Glaspell 205). Emily Grierson, even in death, is not seen as a human being with feelings or interiors, but simply as a fallen monument. Throughout the story, her value and reputation to the city is recognized more than the hurt and pain she endures as a person. Even after her father's death, she's not seen as a grieving human being going through something traumatic, but the town is quick to come after her over her taxes. According to Terry Heller, “Emily, as an improved irsocracy, is somewhat like the former slaves; it becomes a duty, an obligation and a concern. The colonel's apparently charitable action is qualified by his motivations, which seem based more on maintaining a rigid class order than on respectful affection” (Heller). Through the context, it seems that the city has more importance and life than its inhabitants. It is revealed later in the story that "none of the young men were good enough for Miss Emily and others" (Glaspell 207). This brings up another aspect of Emily's relationship with the townspeople: societal views on women. Although it may be briefly covered in history class, societal views on women during the Victorian era are revealed in greater depth in writings such as "A Rose for Emily." The way the townspeople act gossipy about Emily's lack of a husband and children shows the importance society places on family. At that time, women were expected to marry in their mid-20s and have already started caring for children. Thus, Emily being 30 years old and without a husband or children, goes against the established tradition of the town. William Faulkner's use of Emily's lack of family shows that rules are meant to be broken and tradition is meant to be changed. He's not using Emily to represent a woman who doesn't want to start a family, but rather to represent a woman who wants to start a family on her own terms. She's a character who wants what she wants and will stop at nothing to get it, even if it means breaking the tradition she once represented before her father's death. Emily Grierson refuses to confide in.