s he had towards Emily. When Miss Emilys father dies, her refusal to admit that he died shows her unwillingness to accept change. The watch Miss Emily wore tucked out of sight in her belt is also symbolic of this. Another symbol of her unwillingness to change was her refusal to allow the new guard to put the numbers of her house for free mail delivery and her use of old paper and old ink in her answer to the demand for tax payment. Her refusal to pay taxes and her dilapidated house also reflected her unwillingness to change. The Grierson house represents the Old South and is symbolic of an age gone by. The poor upkeep of the house relates to Miss Emily and her poor upkeep. The fact that cotton wagons and gasoline pumps flanked the house represents the conflict between the Old South (Miss Emily) and the New South (the changing town). Faulkner also used the stench that permeated the air around Miss Emilys house as symbolism. It symbolized the sour faultiness in southern thinking or logic; that the town would rather cover up the smell (townsmen with the lime) than uncover the cause. The bedroom where Homer was found dead symbolized a few things. First, it symbolized Emily. It was upstairs representing the high and mighty Griersons and it was secluded from everyone like Miss Emily was for the majority of her life. Finally, it had to be broken into like the townspeople had to break into Miss Emilys life. The decorations in the bedroom were symbolic of the love that Miss Emily so desired. The tarnished silver set bearing Homers initials in the bedroom represented Emilys tarnished reputation because of Homer. Miss Emily herself was symbolic in this story. In the beginning she was young and vibrant like the South used to be but toward the end she was unkempt and ugly characterizing the unhealthy traditions of the Old South and its stubborn followers. Her conflict was symbolic of the conflict of acceptance versus unacceptance t...
