A Rose for Emily is a fantastic short story written by William Faulkner and analyzed by many critics. It is usually a part of college and university literature courses due to the variety of details that can be examined, kept within such a short story. The life of miss Grierson could be described in a long novel; however, Faulkner showed his talent to be laconic, yet concise in his literature. As a result, each sentence in the story is beyond information; moreover, the plot can be analyzed from a variety of different perspectives. If you struggle to choose one, you can refer to our A Rose for Emily thesis statement examples and outlines to get inspiration for further writing. Moreover, you can check our example of A Rose for Emily essay to see how it can be composed. 

A Rose for Emily Thesis Statement Examples

If you have an analysis essay, which goes far beyond a simple plot description, make sure to choose an interesting aspect of this story — as there are so many of them. You can stick to the examples provided below or select your own; in any case, this short story has lots of points to discuss. 

Thesis Statement Example 1: Psychoanalysis

The life of Miss Grierson in A Rose of Family is heavily impacted by her relationships with father, who remained to be the only prominent male figure in her life, combining in his methods of upbringing his dominative nature, Electra complex, and neurotic character.

Thesis Statement Example 2: Feminism

Despite having psychological issues, Miss Grierson can be regarded as a powerful woman, who made the whole city respect her during decades, showed her dignity, and avoided being suppressed by male power. 

Thesis Statement Example 3: The Tragedy of Arrogance

It the arrogance of Miss Grierson and her father that made the woman live a miserable life, using money from the citizens, keeping the dead body of her beloved man, and dying in absolute loneliness and despair. 

Thesis Statement Example 4: Critics of the American South

A character of Miss Grierson in A Rose for Emily symbolizes the pretentious citizens of American South dusting the Civil War: in the same way as Emily, they live in the past, being caught by their traditions and limitations. 

Thesis Statement Example 5: A True Love

Living a quiet, lonely life, Ms. Grierson has finally decided to get married; however, her norms of living, as well as the man she chose for creating a family leave the question open — was there a place for true love in the house of Griersons? 

A Rose for Emily Outline Example

Once you have created a suitable thesis statement, make the next step and start working on the outline: it will help you to organize your thoughts accurately from the very beginning, being a guideline for you during the writing process. You can stick to the example below while developing your own outline for the essay:
I. Introduction

  • Many people consider A Rose for Emily a tragic drama of loneliness; however, this story also contains a love line, brief yet powerful. 
  • Thesis statement: Living a quiet, lonely life, Ms. Grierson has finally decided to get married; however, her norms of living, as well as the man she chose for creating a family leave the question open — was there a place for true love in the house of Griersons? 

II. Arguments for Emily’s true love

  • Emily seemed to be happy while dating Homer Barron, despite his simple origin. 
  • Miss Grierson was not afraid to lose her aristocracy, marrying a simple worker from the North.
  • Emily kept the dead body of her beloved man during all the years she lived after that. 

III. Arguments against Emily’s true love

  • Emily was too arrogant and obsessed with her title to marry someone without a noble origin.
  • She might have killed Homer to make him stay with her forever.

IV. Final ideas regarding the nature of the love of the main character

  • Emily might have considered her attitude to Homer love; however, it was another manifestation of her mental issues.

V. Conclusion

  • Love can be different; however, sometimes, people tend to confuse love and affection.
  •  Faulkner raises the question about the nature of love.