CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS, LETTER ON THE NEW WORLD (1493)

(Follow the link to read the letter: http://www.ushistory.org/documents/columbus.htm )

Christopher Columbus is generally recognized as one of the most important players in not only Spanish history but also in the history of humanity itself. His discovery of the Americas drastically added to mankind’s knowledge of its own existence and brought together the Old and New Worlds. Columbus’s letter to the Spanish Crown is of particular interest because it gives a detailed firsthand account of first contact and because it reveals a great deal about late 15th century European imperial values and aspirations.

In 1491 the Reconquista was finally drawing to an end with the fall of the Muslim stronghold of Grenada. The Spanish Crown was eager to rebuild its depleted treasury, get the upper hand on competing nations and continue expanding its developing empire. With the rise of the hostile Ottoman Empire to the east, a safe trade route to the Orient had been placed in jeopardy. For years, persistent Genoese explorer and trader, Christopher Columbus had been seeking after a royal endorsement and financing for an expedition that would try to find a sea route to Asia via the west. In 1492 he finally secured the official support of the Spanish Crown and set sail for what he believed was the Orient.

In his letter, dated the 15th of February 1493, Columbus gives the first written account of his expedition to the New World, which he called the Indies. It is addressed to Luis de Santángel, the Finance Minister of King Ferdinand II, and one of the individuals who helped Columbus get the initial backing of the Crown. The letter is rich in descriptions of a magnificent land and peoples evocative of a utopian promised land flowing with milk and honey. Columbus takes special care to highlight the land’s numerous natural resources and features including metals, trees, fertile ground, fruits, honey, fresh water, and harbors. He goes on to perhaps flatter and entice the Spanish Crown by stating that one of the islands is even larger than the competing nations of England and Scotland combined.

The picture painted of the locals is equally as alluring. They are mostly described as countless naked individuals of a very pleasing appearance who lack any great cities but rather live in tiny hamlets. Columbus writes that they are generous, timid, excessively cowardly, sharp minded, and best of all believe that Columbus and his men are gods that come from the heavens. With regards to securing the islands, he says that the natives don’t know about weapons and only have pointed sticks to defend themselves and would be easy to dominate and enslave.

Understandably, Columbus’s letter created a lot of excitement and was widely published throughout Europe. His account of the discovery of the Americas reads like a modern day travel brochure and helped create a turning point in the development of the Spanish empire and the colonization of the West generally. It emphasizes the fact that Europeans at that time were eager to conquer and subjugate the “idolaters” and strengthen their empires and didn’t seem to have any moral qualms about it. Rather they saw their domination of the New World as a religious good deed that would help bring the natives unto the saving grace of Christendom.

From a modern perspective, Columbus’s letter seems out of touch with humanity. He viewed the land and its people as commodities to be seized and dominated for gain and prestige. He was after all a business man, and a product of a rapidly changing world and his letter helped play an important role in cementing his legacy in history.

Tuned In?

Since its invention in 1996, Auto-Tune, a brand of music software that corrects notes that are off pitch, has been used by just about every recording artist with a major contract. However, most people outside of the music industry weren't even aware of its existence until Cher released her hit song "Believe" in 1998. The song used the software in a new way that created an edgy robotic sound to her voice, in pitch of course; and after that, the cat was out of the bag. Today, singers continue to experiment with it and not everybody is happy about that. Some have described it as Photoshop for the voice and others compare it to the use of steroids in sports.  How do you feel about the use of Auto-Tune? Some singers even use it during live performances and in concert. Is it cheating? Can anybody become a professional singer now? Or should I just be happy to listen to music that's in tune even if a computer helped? 

Here are some fun examples of Auto-Tune:

Don't Squish That Spider!

I do catch spiders (and scorpions) and release them outside (far, far away from my house). But I kill black widows, cockroaches, and mosquitoes.

Mexico: An American Problem

Historically, the United States and its neighbor to the south, Mexico, have had a tenuous relationship. At times this has manifested itself as all out war and at other periods as relative peace and prosperity. In the current era of unprecedented globalization, the association between Mexico and the United States has become intrinsically intertwined. Some observers now fear that the large and powerful country of Mexico is approaching a point where its democratic government will lose any meaningful control and for all intents and purposes become a failed state. Such a condition would have far reaching detrimental effects, not only on the United States, but because of its globally pivotal role, on the world at large. A thorough assessment of the complex dynamics that exist within Mexico and the U.S. is indispensable to understanding and quelling the growing threats and tensions. Although a number of problematic elements have been identified, the two most preeminent threats to the strength of Mexican-American relations seem to be: the destabilization associated with a mass Mexican immigration to the U.S., and the illegal drug trade with its related violence and criminal organizations.


Immigration to the United States is not a new phenomenon, indeed millions of foreigners from hundreds of countries have been coming here for centuries. And quite naturally, the arrival of each new population of immigrants has upset the preexisting social order and caused tension. Like having your kid brother-in-law move in to your basement, things are not always going to be peachy keen. Nonetheless, history has shown that over generations, immigrant populations have learned to be “Americans” and integrate into mainstream culture, largely adopting the established way of life.

Mexico however seems to be the exception to the general rule of assimilation. Traditionally, the great distances and relative isolation of new arrivals from the old country simply left them with no other alternative but to adjust. Mexico’s position flanking the U.S. makes its people unique. To a large extent, Mexicans in the U.S. are not being weaned from the motherland –because mother is just “next door”.

George Friedman takes this concept a step further as he describes that, “The political border stays were it is while the cultural border moves northward.” He insightfully reflects back on history and highlights the repercussions as “a fear that the massive population movement will ultimately reverse the military outcome of the 1830s and 1840s, returning the region to Mexico culturally or even politically.” The fact that many Mexicans enter the U.S. unlawfully only adds fuel to the fire as it seems to legitimize and heighten fears that Mexican immigrants are dangerous invaders.

Arguably, such fear is the impetus for Arizona’s passage of the very divisive SB1070 bill, officially titled the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act”, which seeks to impose stricter control over illegal immigration within the state. In an environment with such volatility, this type of stressor has the tendency to increase tension and distrust bilaterally. And not surprisingly, among Mexicans the bill is largely viewed as downright racist. Lamentably, the bill is a shortsighted reactionary measure that cannot really address the underlying causes of Mexican immigration which are in essence the product of substantial imbalances in wealth and power on both sides of the border.

The real issues must be taken up at a national and not a state level. Again Friedman articulates the view that:

Immigration has been treated as a subnational issue involving individuals. It is in fact a geopolitical issue between two nation-states. Over the past decades, Washington has tried to avoid turning immigration into an international matter, portraying it rather as an American law enforcement issue. In my view, it cannot be contained in that box any longer.

Unfortunately another daunting obstacle is assailing the two nations, stealing the spotlight and resources away from efforts to reduce the development gap that might otherwise bring about substantive improvements to the immigration problem; that is the drug war.

For decades a handful of powerful cartels controlled the supply and distribution of illegal drugs from Mexico to customers in the United States. Although these older cartels resorted to violent tactics at times they generally limited themselves to protecting trade routes and commodities. In recent years the Mexican government of Felipe Calderón, partially funded by the U.S., has implemented a very aggressive campaign to stamp out the influence of these cartels. This has to a large extent involved the arrests or killing of many important cartel leaders. However as Friedman explains, “The killing of senior cartel members intensifies conflict among cartels, making it even more difficult for the government to control the situation and intensifying the movement towards failure.” Reminiscent of the seemingly invincible Hydra of Greek mythology, cartels don’t simply disband in the absence of leadership; instead remaining cartel members restructure and vie for power and territory. To aid them in doing this they often enlist the aid of outside street gangs or private security forces which seemingly always translates into more violent competition.

In fact bloodshed has been so intense of late that if current trends continue about 75,000 people will be dead by the end of the Calderón administration in 2012. Those participating in the drug trade are willing to put lives on the line because of the huge amount of money involved (estimated to be as high as $40 billion annually). The difficulty in eliminating the drug trade is primarily rooted in this money and the power that it buys in the form of corrupt officials and armed forces.

Friedman explains that these criminals have so much money and control that “faced with the carrot of bribes and the stick of death, even the most incorruptible [government official] is going to be cautious in executing operations against the cartels.” Truly, the brutal and targeted nature of the violence is astounding. For example, one day last year in Ciudad Juarez, a prison guard and policeman were gunned down. On their bodies was a sign that said another officer would be killed every two days until the city’s chief of police resigned. He quit later that day.

With the progressive surrendering of government control, many fear that ultimately the seat of power will effectively be relinquished to the drug cartels. Friedman describes that under such a system “The state no longer can carry out its primary function of imposing peace, and it becomes helpless, or itself a direct perpetrator of crime.” This is what is meant by the term, “failed state”. If Mexico were to fail, little would stand in the way of further cartel expansion northward into the United States, ever closer to the consumer. This expansion would bring with it the accompanying corruptive powers of large amounts of money and the terrifying violence that now plagues Mexico.

Luckily, the United States and Mexico are not yet at the point of a total melt down. Most authorities remain optimistic that with assistance from the U.S., Mexico can implement a strategy that will strengthen its government against disloyalty and intimidation and eliminate the drug trade or at least neutralize the threat it poses. Some believe that this will only be possible through the deregulation of marijuana (like with the repeal of Prohibition in the U.S.) while others contend that a forceful hard line approach is the best option.

Whatever is done to resolve the threats and tensions facing the U.S. and Mexico must be done with great foresight and level-headedness. The problems that we now confront have been developing for decades and it may very well take some time to set things right. Hopefully, our respective leaders take these dangers seriously and work together to serve the greater good.

For More Information Check Out These Sources:
George Friedman:
http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/mexico_road_failed_state, http://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2010/08/03/us_vs_mexico_in_borderlands_99096.html

David Luhnow & José De Cordoba:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123518102536038463.html

Jorge G. Castañeda:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/16/AR2010051602951.html?wprss=rss_opinions

Eduardo Guerrero Gutierrez:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11174174

War Rape: Understanding Why

Warning: The following essay deals with the subject of rape and describes certain accounts with graphic detail.

Rape is not only a horrible atrocity in which an individual is assaulted sexually, but it is also one in which the victim’s very humanity is assailed. Although rape does occur among the general population, statistically, it is much more likely to occur in a time of societal conflict, particularly during war. The extent to which this crime occurs is startling. In the last century alone, more than a million people were raped by a soldier during a war. In order to prevent war rape from happening in the future, it is imperative to identify and understand its root cause. Nonetheless, history and scientific research reveal that not all soldiers who rape do so for the same exact reason, but that rather, a complex and multifaceted driving force is in play. Although many theories abound, the most compelling evidence indicates that soldiers who rape do so: because their environment has caused a radical shift in their ethical standards; as a physical demonstration of their power and position; because they believe there will be no punishment for their actions; to terrorize and exterminate their enemy; or in order to satisfy a strong desire for sexual gratification.

In order to begin to understand what drives a soldier to rape, one must first understand the military way of life. The world of a soldier is vastly different from that of an ordinary civilian and generally begins with some sort of training. In most professional militaries, as contrasted with militias and guerrilla armies, a new recruit will typically undergo an extensive period of grueling training that can last for several months. This instruction is designed, in part, to desensitize a person mentally and emotionally so that he or she can withstand the brutalities of warfare and function as part of the group. Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman, former Professor of Psychology at West Point Military Academy, describes the process:

From the moment you step off the bus you are physically and verbally abused: countless pushups, endless hours at attention or running with heavy loads, while carefully trained professionals take turns screaming at you. Your head is shaved, you are herded together naked and dressed alike, losing all individuality. This brutalization is designed to break down your existing mores and norms and to accept a new set of values that embrace destruction, violence, and death as a way of life. In the end, you are desensitized to violence and accept it as a normal and essential survival skill in your brutal new world. (Grossman 5)

This type of resocialization training further seeks to eradicate any trace of a soldier’s feminine side and to heighten his or her desire to be part of the (super masculine) group. A United States Marine recounts his observations from boot camp noting that

good things are manly and collective; the despicable are feminine and individual. Virtually every sentence, every description, every lesson embodies this sexual duality, and the female anatomy provides a rich field of metaphor for every degradation. When you want to create a solidary (sic) group of male killers, that is what you do, you kill the women in them. That is the lesson of the Marines. And it works. (Bourke 367)

During the Vietnam War, the instruction of new recruits sometimes promoted, very explicitly, sexual violence against the enemy:

"Numerous servicemen admitted being told by their instructors that ‘we could rape the women’ and taught how to strip women prisoners, ‘spread them open’ and ‘drive pointed sticks or bayonets into their vaginas’ afterwards” (Bourke 367).

An adjustment in ethical and moral standards doesn’t disappear upon departure from training camp; in fact, it becomes ingrained into the soldier’s character and gets carried with him or her into the barracks and onto the battlefield. Not surprisingly, the way soldiers behave once they are away from their homelands, families and the moral codes they represent, can be evocative of wild animals on the prowl. On a military base, the prey of these soldiers is quite often a fellow soldier. A 2003 report, issued by the United States Air Force, revealed that almost 70 percent of female cadets reported being the victims of sexual harassment and nearly 20 percent reported being sexually assaulted by another soldier (Bourke 364).

The very sexually charged atmosphere of military life can be taxing on a soldier. Kayla Williams, a member of the United States Army, gives her assessment after a recent stint in Iraq: “So get real. The Army is not a monastery. More like a fraternity. Or a massive frat party. With weapons. With girls there for the taking — at least some of the time.” (Williams)

In the fraternity like atmosphere of the military, women are not the only victims. Men are also subject to abuses, which may take the form of sexual hazing. Instances of this type of sexual assault are described as widespread. Research reveals heinous instances in which “a naked recruit would be wrapped in a blanket and sexually assaulted” or “heavy machinery oil would be rubbed over the body of a recruit and a flexible tube inserted in his anus” (Bourke 364).

Because a culture of sexual abuse and aggression is commonplace within the military community, one could only expect to see these practices acted out on the surrounding civilian population and the enemy. A perfect example of this can be seen in the way American soldiers treated prisoners at the Abu Ghraib Prison in Iraq. There, both male and female soldiers photographed themselves, raping and sexually humiliating the prisoners under their charge.

In the military very little is done alone; eating, sleeping, showering, exercising, and even killing are typically all done as a group. When it comes to sexual violence, soldiers will often stick to the old routine and rape as a group, a phenomenon commonly referred to as gang rape. This form of attack benefits the assailants in several ways. Firstly, there is safety in numbers; a soldier can more securely rape a person if there are other soldiers present to restrain the victim or ward off others who might try to intercede. Furthermore, a victim will have a harder time identifying a group than an individual. Secondly, and more bizarrely, gang rape acts as a shared bonding event, in which “the perpetrators are effectively competing with one another to show superior strength and virility.” In such a display, manliness is negotiated through acts of sexual performance (Bourke 376). Because of its competitive nature, during such events:

Mutual goading forces individuals to behave more extremely than they otherwise would do…the leader tends to become the repository and epitome of the qualities highly valued in the group. In order to demonstrate their membership of the group, all members must behave in such a way as to positively affirm these highly valued qualities, but the leader must do so even more positively than the other members of the group. (Bourke 377)

During these energetic sessions of sexual ferocity, assailants essentially revel in their own strength and experience an emotional high. An unnamed American soldier in Vietnam describes the experience as

a sense of power. A sense of destruction. See now, in the United States a person is babied. He’s told what to do … But in the Nam you realised that you had the power to take a life. You had the power to rape a woman and nobody could say nothing to you. That godlike feeling you had was in the field … It was like I was a god. I could take a life, I could screw a woman. (Bourke 378)

If a member of the group refuses to participate in a rape or tries to intervene, he or she may be subjected to intense ridicule or retaliation. This could manifest itself as ostracism, physical or sexual assault, or even murder. One American soldier, who served in Vietnam, recounts that attempting to stop a rape would have “been encouraging your own sudden death. These are the guys who get in the fire fights with you. It would have been too easy to get blown away” (Bourke 369).

A significant factor in explaining the prevalence of wartime rape is the fact that soldiers believe that they can get away with it; and to a great extent, they can because

In military situations, the chances of being caught and punished for rape diminish to near zero. In the chaos of battle, all the necessary requirements disappear for identification by a witness in civilian life. There is no chance for a victim to identify the culprit (if she lives) and no legal mechanism to file a complaint. (Dutton 12)

Getting a rapist punished can prove an especially harrowing task for a victim. First of all, a rapist must be identified. This, in and of itself, is a major obstacle for most. If a victim is in a position to try to identify a rapist (a rarity), he or she will have to overcome various factors that complicate the task. These include the fact that soldiers tend to look alike; many wear matching uniforms, and often share common racial features with their comrades. If a victim is of a different race, this may pose added difficulty because of what psychologists refer to as the cross-race identification bias, which is a tendency for people of one race to have difficulty identifying members of a race other than their own. If by some miracle, a victim can identify the person who raped him or her, the next problem is that of prosecution. The civil war, currently being waged in the Darfur region of Sudan, illustrates the difficulty:

Survivors of sexual violence in Darfur have no meaningful access to redress. They fear the consequences of reporting their cases to the authorities and lack the resources needed to prosecute their attackers. Police are physically present only in principal towns and government outposts, and they lack the basic tools and political will for responding to sexual violence crimes and conducting investigations. Police frequently fail to register complaints or conduct proper investigations. While some police seem genuinely committed to service, many exhibit an antagonistic and dismissive attitude toward women and girls. These difficulties are exacerbated by the reluctance-and limited ability-of police to investigate crimes committed by soldiers or militia, who often gain effective immunity under laws that protect them from civilian prosecution. (Confronting 2)

Another factor that enables soldiers to get away with rape is the fact that many military authorities accept rape as an inevitable consequence of war, and accordingly, react to it with only a tolerant shrug. If public outcry becomes strong enough however, commanders may ask their soldiers to tone it down. The description of American Marine, Ed Treratola, who served in the Vietnam War:

His unit would slip into a village, kidnap a woman and gang-rape her. Depending on their mood, they either freed her afterwards or killed her. This might occur every night, Treratola admitted, and ‘the villagers complained’. When that occurred, ‘the brass would say, “Well, look, cool it for a little while”, you know, “at least let it happen with little more time in between.”’ ‘But we were never discouraged,’ he added. (Bourke 366)

Sometimes, in order to maintain a good public image, the military’s complicity goes one step further and actually seeks to obstruct justice. Such was the case during the Second World War in Italy, where two women identified the two British soldiers who had raped them and stolen their bicycles. Despite clear evidence that they were guilty, they were shielded from prosecution. A military policeman involved with the case describes that the presiding colonel

told me to tell the women that they were mistaken. He said the two soldiers were going on leave in the morning and that he had signed their passes, and as far as he was concerned they would be going on leave. I told them there was nothing they could do, and of course the Colonel knew it was them. They were very upset. I advised them to take their bikes and go home. They went away in tears. (Bourke 367)

Blatant disregard for the wellbeing of an enemy’s civilian population is not uncommon where rape is prevalent. In some instances, members of the military may even use rape specifically as a way to terrorize and annihilate their enemy. Strategically speaking, women are an ideal target because they are less likely to put up an armed resistance and because they play a vital role in keeping the community together. If the women are attacked, the population as a whole will suffer. Researchers describe that mass rape affects a culture’s

capacity to remain coherent and to reproduce itself. By raping women, soldiers split the familial atoms of which every society is composed. Raped women may become pregnant by the enemy, they may suffer grievous physical and psychological injuries, they may die, they may be abandoned or disavowed by shamed families and husbands, all of which degrade the ability of a culture to replenish itself through sexual reproduction. For these reasons, advocates of strategic rape theory often refer to it as “genocidal rape”—rape designed, whether with full consciousness or not, to annihilate a people and a culture. (Gottschall 5)

Mass rape was a significant weapon employed during the Bosnian War in the early 1990’s. There, women were rounded up and placed into rape camps. An apparent goal of these camps was the forced insemination of the predominantly Muslim women. “Women were raped until they were pregnant and then held until they were close to term. In 1993, it was estimated that between 1,000 and 2,000 women became pregnant as a result of rape in the former Yugoslavia” (Crossette 51).

In contrast to the view that rape is committed solely to terrorize its victims, the simple reality that for a perpetrator, sex (even coerced) is pleasurable, sometimes gets dismissed by theorists. However, this piece of information is one with which, undoubtedly, most soldiers are well acquainted. In addition, the majority of people involved in armed combat and rape are young men whose sex drives may be at their biological peak. In describing the significant role gender differences may play, one researcher explains: “The fact is that men, relative to women, are more aggressive, sexually assertive and eager to copulate, and less discriminating about mates -traits that contribute to the existence of rape” (Crossette 26).

Furthermore, the physically and emotionally demanding requirements placed on a soldier may exacerbate the situation. Under such conditions the human body typically responds by producing higher quantities of the principal male sex hormone, testosterone, which correlates with greater instances of aggressive behavior, including sexual assault.

Nonetheless, it is essential to remember that no amount of sexual drive can excuse the act of rape. Those who commit this heinous crime are ultimately accountable for their own actions, and cannot blame it on others or on the circumstances of war. Hopefully, in due course, a greater understanding of the factors that make rape more likely to occur will lead to lasting changes that will make wartime rape a thing for the history books.

Works Cited

Bourke, Joanna. Rape: Sex, Violence, History. Emeryville: Shoemaker, 2007. 360-86. Print.

“Confronting Rape and Other Forms of Violence Against Women in Conflict Zones.” Human Rights  Watch. N.p. 12 May 2009. Web. 5 April 2010 http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/05/13/written-submission-us-senate-committee-foreign-relations

Crossette, Barbara. “Rape Is Frequently Used as a Weapon of War.” Sexual Violence: Opposing Viewpoints. Ed. Helen Cothran. Farmington Hills: Szumski. 2003. 49-53. Print.

Dutton, Donald G. The Psychology of Genocide, Massacres and Extreme Violence: Why “Normal” People Come to Commit Atrocities. Wesport: Praeger, 2007. Ch10. Print

Gottschall, Jonathan. “Explaining wartime rape”. The Journal of Sex Research. The Free Library N.p. 1 May 2004 Web. 29 March 2010 http://thefreelibrary.com/_/print/PrintArticle.aspx?id=119269006

Grossman, Dave. “Trained To Kill.” Professoren Forum 3.2 (2001). Web. 29 March 2010. http://www.cfc-online.org/professorenforum/content/artikeldatenbank/Artikel/2001/v02n02a1.pdf

Williams, Kayla. “Excerpt: 'Love My Rifle More Than You'.” NPR.org. National Public Radio. 15 Oct 2007. Web. 29 March 2010. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=15307306

SB1070 = BS365

I agree that without a doubt, Arizona's immigration situation is messy. There are just so many things to take into consideration. Nevertheless, I don't think that the recently passed bill is going to solve the root causes of illegal immigration. It's a poorly thought out political gesture designed to satiate angry and frustrated voters: Band-aids given to crying children with leukemia.

Furthermore, if the bill does go into law, I believe that it will wreak havoc on already strained community relations. It will make people view their harmless neighbors and co-workers as the enemy: dangerous criminals to be rounded up and sent away. As anti-immigrant sentiment grows, latinos will become fearful and hesitant to report crimes to the authorities or participate in their community. It's shocking to see how easily Americans have forgotten their own immigrant heritage and are so eager to blame all of their problems on the "wetbacks."

Not only that, but this bill is so loosely worded that it gives the police too much power. How exactly will the police establish "reasonable suspicion" anyway? If you have dark skin, speak english with an accent, or dress a little differently, is that suspicion enough? Or if somebody tells the police that you're not from this country and are probably illegal, will the cops break down your door and put handcuffs on you and your grandmother? It can happen; the bill authorizes the police to arrest people WITHOUT a warrant if they believe they are illegal. Not Cool!

It has further reprecussions on people here legally: If I give my "illegal" next door neighbor a ride to the supermarket and get pulled over by the cops, they can arrest me too for "smuggling" human beings.

This new bill is not going to get rid of dangerous drug cartels, extortionsists, and murderers. It will, however, terrorize ordinary people (including those here legally) and perpetuate anti-immigrant sentiment.

We all know that illegal immigration needs to be stopped, but this is not an acceptable or effective means. Benjamin Franklin's quote seems especially fitting: "Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

A Rose For Emily

 A literary analysis of William Faulker's short story “A Rose for Emily”. The assignment was to explain why I thought Faulkner gave it that title. I hope you find it interesting. There's a link to the full text of the story here. Be warned, it's sort of creepy.
http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/litweb05/workshops/fiction/faulkner1.asp


"A Rose For Emily"

Roses in America have their origins in Europe. In the 19th century the Empress Josephine of France, first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, planted an expansive rose garden on their royal estate. Soon the Empress’s floral pastime spread and became a trendy status symbol among society’s upper classes. Because of its rich history and extraordinary natural attributes, the rose has long been a symbol of wealth, freedom, beauty, romance and love. It is no wonder that in America many southern women of leisure would adopt the classy rose garden as an important feature of their homes. In “A Rose for Emily”, William Faulkner uses the rose, in essence, to symbolize Emily Grierson’s longing for the return of all those rose-like characteristics she once enjoyed. Faulkner’s title is, in fact, a tribute to a dejected woman; he lets poor Emily finally be that cherished rose she so dearly tried to hold on to.

As a young woman Miss Emily’s father is symbolically her gardener, maintaining her position and appearance, nurturing her financially and protecting her from those who would unworthily pick her out of the garden; no suitor is worthy of that delicate flower.

None of the young men were quite good enough for Miss Emily and such. We had long thought of them as a tableau; Miss Emily a slender figure in white in the background, her father a spraddled silhouette in the foreground, his back to her and clutching a horsewhip, the two of them framed by the back-flung front door. So when she got to be thirty and was still single, we were not pleased exactly, but vindicated; even with insanity in the family she wouldn't have turned down all of her chances if they had really materialized.

With the death of her father, she loses the only man who loves her. Now without any financial support she slowly begins to become a wild and unattractive specimen, unkempt and slowly wilting away. “Being left alone, and a pauper, she had become humanized. Now she too would know the old thrill and the old despair of a penny more or less.”

Nevertheless, her pride and cultivation impede here from accepting that she and her status in life are changing. She cannot move forward because the present holds no place for her. Emily is forced to live in a fantastic world devoid of time, progress, and change.

Although a very real probability, the prospects of becoming a spinster are unfathomable to Emily. The social stigma associated with such a position would render her a virtual prisoner in her own home. The summer after Emily’s father dies, Homer Barron, a laborer from the North, starts pursuing Emily, and she begins a pitiful display of desperation. He is described as a “Yankee—a big, dark, ready man, with a big voice and eyes lighter than his face. The little boys would follow in groups to hear him cuss the niggers." Early on in their strange relationship, it is clear that this man has no intention of marrying her. Nonetheless, she allows things to continue. She knows that she was once a southern belle and the desire of every man and it pains her so heavily now to accept a man whose social status is much lower than her own. She is torn between maintaining her respectable name and position in society and the deep desire to have a strong man as her companion and lover. The desire to be loved proves too great for her and she takes Homer Barron into the home her father left to her. However, she knows that Homer’s romantic acts are only fleeting and that he too will leave her. Her anguish pushes her to a new level of delusion as she endeavors to keep him in her life. In an act of absolute desperation, Emily poisons the poor man with arsenic as he lies in her bed. She embraces his large cadaver. Futilely, she clings on to yet another love that will unavoidably leave her. His body soon stinks as his flesh begins to rot away.

The rest of Emily’s life is a lamentable state of self deception. With her father’s legacy betrayed and no other man to love her, she becomes completely detached from reality. She pretends that she lives in a continual past refusing anything new. “The front door closed upon the last one and remained closed for good. When the town got free postal delivery Miss Emily alone refused to let them fasten the metal numbers above her door and attach a mailbox to it. She would not listen to them.”

Years later when a group of officials is sent to collect her taxes, a very different looking Emily attends them. She is no longer the slender epitome of elegance that she once was, but is now

a small, fat woman in black, with a thin gold chain descending to her waist and vanishing into her belt, leaning on an ebony cane with a tarnished gold head. Her skeleton was small and spare; perhaps that was why what would have been merely plumpness in another was obesity in her. She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hue. Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough as they moved from one face to another.

Poor Emily, as she is known later in life, eventually loses all she ever values. For Emily a rose is much more than a simple flower –it is her everything. Faulkner’s title lets her have that back.