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Quizzes > Books & Literature

A Rose for Emily Quiz: How Well Do You Know Faulkner's Story?

Quick, free Faulkner short story quiz to check your understanding. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Sven ZieglerUpdated Aug 26, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper cut rose emerging from torn book page art, coral background, Rose for Emily quiz

This A Rose for Emily quiz helps you check your grasp of the plot, timeline jumps, symbols, and point of view in Faulkner's classic. Answer clear questions, see what you recall, and spot gaps before class or a test. If you enjoy Gothic fiction, try our House of Usher quiz and the yellow wallpaper quiz for more quick practice.

What narrative voice does Faulkner use in "A Rose for Emily"?
A first-person plural narrator representing the town's collective voice
A third-person omniscient narrator
A first-person singular narrator
A stream-of-consciousness narration by Emily
Faulkner employs a first-person plural narrator - using "we" - to reflect the community's perspective on Emily and her actions. This collective voice underscores the town's shared judgments and gossip. It also enhances the story's communal sense of secrecy and complicity.
In which fictional town is "A Rose for Emily" set?
Jefferson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Oxford, Mississippi
New Orleans, Louisiana
The story takes place in the fictional town of Jefferson, Mississippi, in Faulkner's Yoknapatawpha County. Jefferson serves as a microcosm of the Old South. Faulkner uses its decay and traditions to mirror Emily's decline.
What is the last name of the story's protagonist?
Compson
Barron
Sartoris
Grierson
Emily's full name is Emily Grierson, and her family's legacy is central to the plot. The Grierson name evokes her aristocratic, Old South roots. It also underscores the town's reverence and critique of her lineage.
During which historical period does most of the story take place?
Great Depression era
Roaring Twenties
Post - Civil War Reconstruction era
World War I era
The story spans from the late 19th century into the early 20th century, beginning shortly after the Civil War. The Reconstruction era context highlights the conflict between Old Southern traditions and modernization. Faulkner uses this backdrop to frame Emily's resistance to change.
Which former mayor remitted Emily Grierson's taxes?
Colonel Sartoris
Mr. Grierson
Judge Stevens
Homer Barron
In 1894, Colonel Sartoris, the town's former mayor, informally excused Emily from paying taxes and maintained the fiction of her tax exemption. This act reflects both the town's reverence for tradition and Emily's privileged status.
What do townspeople sprinkle around Emily's house to counteract a foul odor?
Quicklime
Flower petals
Salt
Baking soda
When a terrible smell emanates from Emily's home, townspeople discreetly sprinkle quicklime around the property at night to neutralize the odor. This action shows their desire to preserve Emily's privacy while managing the community's discomfort.
Why did Emily tell the druggist she needed arsenic?
To polish mirrors
To weed her garden
To treat a skin ailment
To kill rats
Emily purchases arsenic under the pretense of using it to kill rats, masking her true intent to poison Homer Barron. This early mention of arsenic foreshadows the grim outcome of their relationship.
Who is Tobe in "A Rose for Emily"?
The town mayor
A local tax assessor
Emily's servant
A childhood friend
Tobe is Emily Grierson's loyal servant who waits on her household tasks. He represents one of the few personal connections Emily maintains with the outside world. His presence underscores Emily's isolation despite the townspeople's watchful gaze.
Which narrative structure best describes the timeline of "A Rose for Emily"?
Strictly chronological
Parallel storyline
Circular framing
Nonlinear chronology
Faulkner uses a nonlinear timeline, jumping back and forth across Emily's life. This structure builds suspense and gradually reveals key facts about her life and Homer Barron's fate. It also mirrors the town's fragmented understanding of her story.
What is Homer Barron's occupation in the story?
Foreman of a road construction crew
Railroad engineer
Lumber mill owner
Town sheriff
Homer Barron is introduced as a foreman overseeing a sidewalk construction project in Jefferson. His Northern, working?class background contrasts sharply with Emily's Old Southern aristocracy. This cultural clash drives much of the story's tension.
Which theme is most central to "A Rose for Emily"?
Triumph over adversity
The power of love
The value of education
Resistance to change
The story highlights Emily's inability to accept societal and personal changes after the Civil War. Her clinging to the past - her father, Homer Barron, and the decaying house - embodies resistance to change. Faulkner uses her tragic fate to comment on the Old South's decline.
Which literary genre does "A Rose for Emily" best represent?
Southern Gothic
Magical Realism
Naturalism
Realist Romance
"A Rose for Emily" exemplifies Southern Gothic literature by combining macabre elements, decaying settings, and deeply flawed characters. The story's focus on death, decay, and social decay situates it firmly in this genre.
What shocking discovery do townspeople make when they finally break into Emily's upstairs room?
A hidden treasure chest
Emily's childhood toys
Emily's secret diary
Homer Barron's corpse on the bed
After Emily's death, the townspeople break down the locked door to her upstairs room and discover the decayed remains of Homer Barron on the bed. This gruesome reveal retroactively explains the foul odor and the strands of gray hair.
What does the single strand of iron-gray hair on the pillow next to Homer's corpse symbolize?
Emily's continued companionship with Homer after his death
Homer's illness before death
Emily's old age
Her resistance to social norms
The iron-gray hair found on the pillow beside Homer's corpse suggests that Emily lay beside his body and kept him as a companion beyond death. It underscores her obsessive attachment and psychological decline.
What does the decaying Grierson house most directly symbolize?
The decay of the Old South aristocracy
Emily's mental collapse
The growth of urbanization
The rise of industrial America
Emily's dilapidated mansion represents the decline of the Old Southern aristocracy following the Civil War and Reconstruction. Its decay mirrors both Emily's physical state and the fading grandeur of her family's legacy.
Approximately in what year does Emily Grierson die?
1930
1920
1945
1912
The narrative traces Emily's life from the 1890s until her death in 1930, marking roughly 36 years of her isolation. Faulkner intentionally leaves some dates vague but places her death around 1930.
How many sections is the story divided into?
Five
Four
Six
Three
"A Rose for Emily" is structured in five distinct sections, each shifting in time and perspective to gradually reveal Emily's life story. This five-part division enhances the non-linear narrative.
What event opens the story?
Homer Barron's disappearance
Emily's funeral
Emily's father's death
A town meeting about taxes
The story begins with the townspeople attending Emily's funeral, setting a somber tone and immediately introducing mystery about her life. Faulkner then moves backward and forward in time to fill in details.
What is the primary significance of the upstairs room in Emily's house?
It contains her wedding trousseau
It holds her family's heirlooms
It serves as a tomb for Homer Barron's corpse
It was used as her father's private study
The locked upstairs room is the setting where Homer Barron's decayed body is discovered after Emily's death. It symbolizes Emily's denial of change and her extreme measures to preserve the past.
The "rose" in the title most likely symbolizes:
Blood and violence
A final tribute or gesture of love toward Emily
Her house's color
A literal flower she cherishes
While no actual rose appears in the text, the titular "rose" can be read as a symbolic gesture of remembrance or tribute to Emily. It represents the town's complex compassion and pity for her tragic life.
Which detail early in the story foreshadows Homer Barron's death by poisoning?
Emily's purchase of arsenic from the druggist
Emily's refusal to pay her taxes
Tobe's silence
The smell from her house
Emily's secret purchase of arsenic - ostensibly for rats - foreshadows her intent to poison Homer Barron. Faulkner plants this clue early to build suspense, revealing its true purpose only later.
Which mood predominantly pervades "A Rose for Emily"?
Macabre
Inspirational
Comedic
Romantic
Faulkner creates a haunting, macabre atmosphere through the imagery of decay, death, and secrecy. The story's gothic elements - such as the corpse in Emily's room - reinforce this dark mood.
Approximately how many years does the story's timeline span?
About 50 years
About 15 years
About 36 years
About 20 years
The narrative begins soon after 1894 and ends around Emily's death in 1930, covering roughly 36 years. Faulkner's nonlinear presentation condenses this span but key dates anchor the timeline.
The story's use of a fragmented timeline and psychological depth aligns it with which literary movement?
Romanticism
Modernism
Realism
Naturalism
Faulkner's experimentation with nonlinear chronology, interiority, and ambiguity typifies Modernist literature. He breaks from linear storytelling to reflect subjective time and psychological complexity.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Recall Plot Milestones -

    Identify and sequence key events in "A Rose for Emily" based on your responses in the a rose for emily quiz.

  2. Analyze Character Motivations -

    Examine Emily Grierson's actions and psychological drives using evidence highlighted in the quiz questions and answers PDF.

  3. Interpret Gothic Symbols -

    Uncover and explain the significance of Southern Gothic imagery and hidden symbols as tested in the a rose for emily quiz questions.

  4. Evaluate Narrative Techniques -

    Assess Faulkner's storytelling style, including point of view and temporal shifts, through targeted a rose for emily quiz questions.

  5. Connect Historical Context -

    Relate the social and cultural backdrop of the American South to plot developments and themes explored in the quiz.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Non-Linear Narrative Structure -

    Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily" jumps back and forth in time, challenging you to piece together events like a puzzle; try creating a timeline chart as seen in university literature guides (e.g., Yale's course notes). Remember the mnemonic "TAP" (Timeline, Anchors, Perspective) to track shifts and sharpen your performance on the a rose for emily quiz questions.

  2. Southern Gothic Elements -

    Identify key Gothic traits - decay, grotesque details, social isolation - by comparing Faulkner's story to classic models in academic journals (see Modern Language Association reviews). Cite examples such as Emily's eerie home described in the Mississippi Quarterly to answer a rose for emily questions with confidence.

  3. Characterization of Emily Grierson -

    Examine Emily's transformation from a sheltered Southern belle to a reclusive figure through direct quotes and psychological profiles from university archives (e.g., UNC's literature repository). Use the "ABC" method - Actions, Backstory, Community reaction - to dissect her motivations for your a rose for emily questions and answers pdf study prep.

  4. Themes of Resistance and Change -

    Focus on Faulkner's commentary about Old South traditions vs. modernity by reviewing scholarly papers in JSTOR; highlight passages where townspeople react to Emily's refusal to accept tax notices. Sketch out a simple cause-and-effect chart to see how this theme drives the plot and ace the a rose for emily quiz.

  5. Symbolism and Motifs -

    Spot symbols like the decaying house, the strand of Emily's gray hair, and the elusive "rose" in critical essays from Oxford Academic; they're central to understanding hidden meanings. Create flashcards labeled "House = Decay," "Hair = Time," "Rose = Memory" to breeze through a rose for emily quiz questions.

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