A Rose for Emily

Page 404, "When the next generation, with its more modern ideas, became mayors and alderman, this arrangement created some little dissatisfaction."

I think a lot of this story is a comment on old world vs. new world and old money vs. new money. We see this immediately in part 1 when the new council demands taxes from Emily. She represents the old world and old money. She refuses to keep up with the times, even refusing to acknowledge in her own mind that the world around her is changing. Her house is a symbol of this, growing old and decaying, while the life around it continues to change and grow. The house was once nice, her family was once prestigious, but now they have all fallen into shambles. Emily is doomed if she does not change with the times and she does not, so she suffers a sad life.

Faulkner published this story in 1930. This story is perhaps a comment on what he saw or was experiencing himself. A lot of people around him were probably going through this difficult transition from old to new, just like older people are today experiencing with technology (especially computers, my dad is horrible with them). Some people make a conscience effort to change and learn the new ways, while others who are more stubborn refuse to accept that the times are changing. I think this story reflects a lot of that sentiment.