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Article http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.11.014

The Erasure of Subjectivity: Narrative Oppression and Collective Gaze in William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily

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Rui Liu

School of Foreign Languages, Northwest Minzu University, Lanzhou 730030, Gansu, China.

*Corresponding author: Rui Liu

Published: December 9,2025

Abstract

William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily is a masterful exploration of the tension between individual identity and communal perception. This paper argues that Faulkner’s use of a collective narrator, the town of Jefferson, functions as an instrument of symbolic violence that systematically erases Emily Grierson’s subjectivity, reducing her to a static monument of Southern tradition. Through a synthesis of narrative theory, feminist critique, and socio-historical analysis, this essay examines how the townspeople’s gaze, their act of storytelling, and their imposition of labels transform Emily from a living, breathing woman into a public spectacle—a “tableau” to be observed, interpreted, and ultimately, controlled. The paper concludes that Faulkner’s narrative technique serves as a profound critique of the power dynamics inherent in communal narration, and the horrific discovery of Homer Barron’s corpse is the logical culmination of this narrative oppression, revealing the tragic consequences of denying an individual the right to their own story.

Keywords

William Faulkner; A Rose for Emily; Collective Narrator; Subjectivity; Unreliable Narration; Panopticism

References

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How to cite this paper

The Erasure of Subjectivity: Narrative Oppression and Collective Gaze in William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily

How to cite this paper: Rui Liu. (2025) The Erasure of Subjectivity: Narrative Oppression and Collective Gaze in William Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily. Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Science, 9(11), 2158-2161.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.26855/jhass.2025.11.014