The thematic content of the passage above is very representative of the overall short story A Rose for Emily. The passage describes the scene of Miss Emily Grierson's funeral. Emily has a unique relationship with the people of Jefferson. She is both pitied and admired. Emily becomes disconnected from the outside world as she attempts to hold on to her past while denying the present. The men and women of the town gather at her funeral and remember Emily's tragic life. Much like the townspeople, the reader may not understand Emily, but they are led to sympathize with her. Faulkner's description of Emily's funeral also establishes the point of view from which the story is told and helps the reader understand the structure of the plot and the passage of time. “The two cousins ​​arrived at the same time. » This short and precise sentence at the beginning of the passage suggests the relationship that existed between Emily and her two cousins. This relationship is a blood bond and the former cousins ​​simply arrive to take care of business. The short diction of this phrase indicates no emotional connection or trace of remorse for the death of their own blood. It reminds the reader that “poor Emily” was indeed alone in the world despite her best efforts to deny change and cling to the past. The “whole town” comes to Miss. Emily's funeral "to contemplate her". Faulkner's choice of words "to look" is an unflattering way of speaking about the deceased woman and it leads the reader to believe that some of the townspeople came for reasons other than to pay their respects or say goodbye. This gives us another insight into the relationship that Miss. Emily spoke with the townspeople. ...... middle of paper ...... expressed in a unique narrative that reflects the collective commemoration of Miss .Emily's life and death. The elders, like Emily, see time as relative. The past is not forgotten, but memories are transformed into a present reality and the passage of time is denied and change prevented. In Faulkner's carefully crafted short story, both the plot and the narrative support the movement and manipulation of time. The ancients confuse time and are disconnected from reality, fantasizing about their past memories and bringing them into their present lives. They view the passage of time as "a vast meadow that no winter ever touches, separated from them now by the narrow bottleneck of the last decade" rather than viewing time as that of the present world which follows the progression of time. a time when the past fades a bit like a diminishing road..