Question

your turn

1. which of the following words or phrases hint that miss emily grierson’s house may have a symbolic or allegorical meaning in the story?

a. respectful affection, fallen monument
b. heavily lightsome, stubborn and coquettish decay
c. garages, cotton gins, cotton wagons, gasoline pumps
d. select street, august names

1. which of the following sentences best explains what the house represents in this passage?

a. the house represents an obstinate nostalgia for a bygone way of life.
b. the house is a symbol of the strength and power of the grierson family.
c. the house serves as an allegory about the power of community to come together in a time of sorrow and grief.
d. the deterioration of the house is meant to parallel the decay of the town of jefferson, after emily grierson, the town benefactor, died tragically.

Explanation:

Question 1

In "A Rose for Emily", "fallen monument" symbolizes Emily's family's lost glory, and "respectful affection" hints at the town's complex view of her, fitting symbolic/allegorical meaning. Other options have literal or less symbolic terms.

Question 2

The Grierson house’s decay contrasts with modern town changes, symbolizing Emily (and her family) clinging to old Southern traditions, a nostalgic hold on the past. Other options misinterpret the house’s symbolic role.

Answer:

A. respectful affection, fallen monument