thout a rose. Within a couple of weeks Homer, is seen entering Emily's house late at night. Emily realizes that Homer has no plans to stay, so she demonstrates her love the only way she knows how, by killing him. In her own way, she forces Homer to love her and to stay with her. In doing so, Emily's rose wilts forever. Following Emily's death, the townspeople enter her bedroom to find a shocking sight. The room appears "decked and furnished as for a bridal"(Faulkner 78). A rose color drapes over the room, "upon the valance curtains of faded rose color, upon the rose-shaded lights"(Faulkner 78). The wilted image of the rose permeates the room, symbolizing the tarnished love between Emily and Homer. Unfortunately, the love that Emily knew proves impermanent. The rose, and the love it symbolizes, die along with Homer. This love disappears forever as Homer enters the "long sleep that outlasts love, that conquers even the grimace of love"(Faulkner 78). Today, a rose can symbolize many emotions, from passionate love and true friendship to sympathy and regret. As in "A Rose for Emily," not all roses are the same. Only roses of true love last forever. The wilted roses of forced and obligated love, like Emily's, cannot stand the tests of time, and eventually die. In life today, roses of all types exists, and are not always what they first appear to be. Like Emily, contemporary women also dream of receiving flowers, usually roses. In doing so, they dream of the romances and loves from their past, as well as those yet to come. The meaning of the rose crosses generations, appearing in stories written yesterday, as well as fairy tales from centuries ago. The rose bridges language barriers and spans continents. The rose is the true universal symbol of love....
