Monday, December 7, 2015

In "A Rose for Emily," what is the nature of the conflict between Emily Grierson and the Board of Aldermen in the town of Jefferson?

In 1894, Colonel Satoris, wanting to help her out since her father had passed away, had remitted her taxes forever. He didn't just say he'd require no more taxes, though; she was too proud for that. Instead, he invented a story about how her father had loaned money to the town and this was the town's way of repaying that loan. 


After the colonel dies, however, the new aldermen think she should pay taxes, so they send her notices, which she ignores. When they send her a notice asking her to visit the sheriff, she replies only that she no longer leaves her home, enclosing the tax notice in her reply with no comment. 


Finally, the men come to her home and state their case. She insists that she has no taxes in Jefferson and they should consult the city records. When they say they have, she tells them again that she pays no taxes and they should ask Colonel Satoris (who has been dead ten years). No matter what they say, she replies that she has no taxes in Jefferson and has them kicked out of her home. 

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