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A Rose for Emily
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• In a minute we will get into new groups in
  your new group you will work with the themes from
  A Rose for Emily. As a group you will choose
  one question to answer from each of the 5 theme
  stations. You will write down your question
  number, respond to the quesstion in a few
  sentences, and then include a quote from the
  short story that supports your answer to the
  question. Be sure you are complete with your
  responses!

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• Count off 1- 5! ?

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Dont forget . . .

• As you answer the questions each person must
  individually record the following
• Question Number
• Your full answer to all parts of the question
• Quote with page number Blah Blah blah (32).

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Theme Station 1 Isolation

• 1. Which character is more isolated, Tobe or Miss
  Emily? What are the different reasons behind
  their isolations? Did they have a choice?
• 2. Does the town play a role in Miss Emily's
  isolation? If not, why not? If so, what are some
  of the things the town does to isolate her?
• 3. Does Emily's father play a role in her
  isolation (even though he is dead)? If so, what
  role does he play?
• 4. What are some other factors behind Miss
  Emily's isolation?
• 5. Besides Tobe, and Miss Emily, are there any
  other isolated characters described in the story?
  If so, which ones, and how are they isolated.

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Theme Station 2 Memory and the Past

• 1. If this story is a memory, whose memory is it?
• 2. Does this memory work the way that your memory
  works? That is, do you remember your life and
  your history in a straight time line, or do you
  skip around back and forth?
• 3. Is Emily trapped by the past? If so, which
  elements of the past trap her? Does she try to
  escape the trap?
• 4. Can you think of any examples of where the
  past and the present are in conflict in the
  story? If not, how are the past and present
  working in sync.

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Theme Station 3 Visions of America

• 1. How does the story comment on America? What
  are the positive comments being made? What are
  the negative ones?
• 2. Does the character of Tobe say something to us
  about America? If not, what might be the purpose
  of the character.
• 3. Does the novel say anything about the American
  dream? What might the American dream look like to
  some of the different characters?

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Theme Station 4 Versions of Reality

• 1. Is Miss Emily insane or vengeful and mean? A
  little of both?
• 2. Emily can seem both very strong and very weak.
  How, if at all, do these two approaches to life
  impact her reality?
• 3. Is it important to the story that Miss Emily's
  great-aunt, old lady Wyatt, is considered insane
  by the townspeople? Why or why not?
• 4. Do you think Tobe has a clear view of reality?
  Is he insane for living in a house with a dead
  body, and protecting Miss Emily by not telling
  the authorities? If he's not insane, what might
  motivate him to act this way?
• 5. Do the different generations of Jefferson
  society presented have different versions of the
  reality of Miss Emily? If so, what are some of
  these versions?

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Theme Station 5 Compassion Forgiveness

• 1. Do the townspeople pity Emily? Is this pity
  the same thing as compassion? If so, how can pity
  and compassion the same?
• 2. Does the town treat Emily compassionately? Can
  you give any examples?
• 3. Would it have been more compassionate to leave
  Emily alone with her crime the way the town does
  in the story, or to let her be processed by the
  system?
• 4. If it is true that Emily murdered Homer
  Barron, can we still feel compassionate for her?
  Explain. Do you feel compassion for Homer?
• 5. Can we forgive Emily's father for what he did
  to her? Why or why not?
• 6. Is there anything shown in the short story
  that you find unforgivable? If so, what? If not,
  explain?