tarnished
"A thin acrid pall as of the tomb seemed to lie everywhere upon this room decked and furnished as for a bridal; upon valance curtains of faded rose color, upon the rose-shaded lights, upon the dressing table, upon the delicate array of crystal and the man's toilet things backed with tarnished silver, silver so tarnished that the monogram was obscured."
(found on pg. 94)
Tarnish- to dull the luster of (a metallic surface), especially by oxidation; discolor.
definition found at dictionary.com
The word tarnished in context to the story to me explains not only the silver that once shimmered but also the person who has been held hostage in the room along with the furnishings in the room. This word helps me understand the story because it sheds light on the situation at hand. Ms. Emily Grierson's life had been tarnished for a long time and using the word tarnished to explain how the room looked also explains the life of Emily. Knowing the definition of this word only enhanced my knowledge of the story of A Rose for Emily.
I like the way you think! Well said!
ReplyDeleteI agree! When I saw the word 'tarnished' I knew right away the author meant it for Emily as well. "...silver so tarnished that the monogram was obscured." It is a direct link to Emily and how her family name has now been tarnished.
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