In “A Rose for Emily,” William Faulkner uses imagery and symbolism to both illustrate and reinforce the most prevalent theme; Emily's resistance to change. William Faulkner seems to reveal this theme through multiple descriptions of Miss Grierson's actions, appearance, and her home. Throughout the story it is obvious that Emily has difficulty letting go of her past, she seems to be holding on to every bit of her past. Readers see this displayed in several ways, some more obvious than others. William Faulkner uses imagery to represent Miss Grierson's confrontation with change by vividly describing her appearance. With the given description of Emily, readers might conclude that it symbolizes her inability to change. She describes Emily's physical appearance by stating that her clothes are worn and deteriorated, so it seems her views on life are too. Her appearance could also symbolize Miss Grierson's refusal to be modern because she is constantly living in her past. Some may say this because the first description readers see of her is “…a short, fat woman dressed in black, ...