This comparative essay focuses on two short stories- “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner and “A Conversation with My Father” by Grace Paley. William Faulkner’s story is about the sad life of Emily Grierson, a woman living in the Southern town of Jefferson. The story follows her experiences living in a highly traditional community where class hierarchy is prioritized over people’s well-being. She lives a miserable life, neglecting her well-being after being denied a chance to marry outside her community due to her social status (Chen & Zhang, p37). Grace Paley tells her story through a conversation between a daughter and her father. The daughter is a contemporary woman, but her father struggles to adapt to the changed social norms since he is from an older generation. The story’s setting is New York, a modern city with diverse cultures and beliefs on family, gender roles, and accepting alternative lifestyles. The social expectations explain her attitude towards social norms like marriage and writing styles that differ from what was traditionally acceptable (Sophie & Cislaghi, p 63). In their stories, Faulkner and Paley present two communities that highly differ in setting, social structures, norms, and values. Social standards and expectations have a significant impact on shaping people’s lives.
In “A Rose for Emily,” Faulkner portrays Jefferson’s Southern community as invested deeply in maintaining traditions and social class. This area had once been a proud and flourishing community, but this glory had declined in the aftermath of the Civil War (Faulkner, np). The people are still contending with the economic and social transformations by terminating slavery. However, despite these changes, some communities still cling to their traditions and expect individuals to conform to social norms (Sophie & Cislaghi, p 63). For instance, the townspeople disapprove of the relationship between Emily and Homer Barron simply because he is a Northerner, which is seen as a violation of the community’s social norms. Emily belongs to the Grierson family- one of the most prominent families in the town whose social status is a source of the community’s pride. This social status is, however, a burden for Emily since she is expected to uphold her family’s reputation at all costs. This expectation leads to self-isolation and detachment of Emily from her community in what Chen & Zhang (p 37) describes as Stockholm syndrome. Emily’s predicaments show that accepting changes in our environment is crucial.
The community represented in “A Conversation with My Father” is diverse and modern, set in New York City. The story depicts a community accepting of alternative lifestyles and individual choices, even as the elderly father struggles to understand them. The daughter’s stories of people who defy traditional gender boundaries and social expectations highlight the community’s diversity. For instance, she describes a woman who chooses solitary life over marriage and family, as would be expected by society. The daughter also wants to take writing as a career instead of being a wife and mother. Besides, she recounts a man who embraces his femininity and lives as a woman. The father initially resists these perceptions but accepts his daughter’s choices after thinking about them. These stories show that the daughter’s community is tolerant and accepting, where people can live freely. The story celebrates the daughter’s diverse and inclusive neighborhood despite the generational divide. According to Sophie & Cislaghi (p 63), social norms are closely linked to attitudes, factual beliefs, and self-efficacy.
The communities represented in “A Rose for Emily” and “A Conversation with My Father” are immensely different regarding setting, beliefs, and social norms. In “A Rose for Emily,” Jefferson’s community is depicted as rigid and hierarchical, with a strong emphasis on maintaining traditional gender roles and social norms. For example, when Emily begins dating a Northerner named Homer Barron, the townspeople disapprove of the relationship because it goes against the traditional social norms of the time. Conversely, the community represented in “A Conversation with My Father” is much more accepting of alternative lifestyles and individual choices. For example, the daughter in the story rejects the traditional role of women as wives and mothers and instead pursues a career as a writer. Despite the father’s initial resistance, he later accepts that the world has changed and the daughter’s modern choices are justifiable. Accepting these differences ultimately gives the daughter a sense of belonging within the community.
In conclusion, social norms and expectations have a significant impact on the lifestyles of individuals. “A Rose for Emily” presents a community that is bound by traditions and class hierarchy to the point of making the main character’s life miserable. “A Conversation with My Father” presents a more diverse community and acceptance of alternative lifestyles. Change is inevitable, and conforming to new ways of life is essential in facing current challenges and living more fulfilled lives.
Works Cited
Chen, Sihui, and Langyue Zhang. “The Stockholm Syndrome of Emily in Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily.” (2020). DOI: 10.25236/iwass.2020.009
Legros, Sophie, and Beniamino Cislaghi. “Mapping the social-norms literature: An overview of reviews.” Perspectives on Psychological Science 15.1 (2020): 62-80. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691619866455
William Faulkner. “A Rose for Emily.” (1930). https://xroads.virginia.edu/~DRBR/wf_rose.html
Grace Paley. “A Conversation With My Father.” (1972). https://xpressenglish.com/our-stories/conversation-with-father/
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