to the boundaries on length according to their specific genre; they dont have time for lengthy or slow introductions. William Faulkners A Rose of Emily (p. 443) begins immediately with a startling statement about Miss Emilys death. Faulkner creates a first sentence that describes how our whole town went to her funeral (1), using of course the first person form of we (28, 43, 46, etc) The narrator is most likely one of the townspeople who represents the point of view of the entire town. Through the use of plural first person narration, the author makes the reader feel as if though they are part of the story, grasping his or her interest more quickly. Faulkner employs this first person narration in the first sentence of his story, thus immediately capturing the readers attention. The readers engagement in the story also adds to its emotionality. By feeling as though he or she is a part of the story, the reader often feels sadness, joy and other emotions with the characters of the story. When the townspeople were surprised when Homer Barronwas gone (46), the use of we (46) forces the reader to feel the same confusion and shock that the townspeople do. The first person helps to enrich the variability and appeal of the short story.This use of first person to strengthen the feeling of the writing is especially prominent in Edwin Arlington Robinsons tragic poem Richard Cory (p. 1073). Richard Cory is about a man who the whole town admires, is seen as a total gentleman and is exceedingly wealthy. The poem is told, like A Rose for Emily, from the point of view of the townspeople. When reading Richard Cory the reader can become so closely involved in the poem that he or she becomes one of the townspeople. Robinsons use of first person compels the reader to feel the admiration of the townspeople when they see Richard Cory, their misery as they envy him and their shock as he kills himself. Both A Rose for Emily and Richard Cory uses the plural fir...
