Motionless as an Idol - Columbus State University

Bullock 34comes in their ability to "[p]ain[t] the local, but transcen[d] it" (Lind 145). Faulknerexemplifies this quality in Emily's story and in the two novels, seemingly providingdetails about a community's eccentricity but actually speaking to broader truths andpatterns of injustice to women in the post-Confederate South.One of Cezanne's paintings. Peasant with a Blue Blouse (located on page 40), isof particular interest in conjunction with "A Rose of Emily." The piece depicts thepeasant of the title filling the frame of the work, shaded vibrantly and appearingconfident in his bold portrayal. However, upon closer examination of the work, one cannotice a minimized figure behind the left shoulder of the man. She is faceless and paintedin very muted hues. She wears a dress, holds what appears to be a flower in one hand, inthe other, a dainty parasol. The busyness of her hands, both filled with articles offemininity, conveys her inhibited independence. Her attention is directed at the man inthe front of the frame. Henri Lallemand says, "The detail shows a woman with a parasolin her rococo elegance, which contrasts markedly with the rustic peasant simplicity"(126). Such a contrast, while not of class or wardrobe, as in Faulkner's tableau in "ARose for Emily," is paralleled in the posing and personality conveyed through the image.There are other works by Cezanne that also contribute to this idea of socialcommentary and could have inspired Faulkner. One, in particular, The Eternal Feminine(located on page 38), contains "an ironic commentary on the enslavement of the clergyby Woman" (Geist 133). In this painting, the roles are reversed from Faulkner's work, asitis the woman who is dominant; however, the principle remains the same and speaks toCezanne's awareness of the power of female sexuality and its manifestation in society.Henri Lallemand describes the painting with the centralized woman surrounded by men