A Rose for Emily- Faulkner's Tribute to the Antebellum South

As I read Faulkner's A Rose for Emily, one particular theme that was not really touched upon in class stuck out in my mind: how Emily's "downward spiral" may have mirrored the downward spiral of Southern aristocracy. By extension, this could mean that Emily embodies the outdated customs of the Antebellum South. This theme is hinted at, but never fully established in the text. However, I, for one, found the hints too tantalizing to ignore.
Faulkner, it is important to remember, was a Southern writer (born in Mississippi) who was born about a generation after the Civil War. He was, therefore, perfectly positioned by birthright to write about the changes he had witnessed in the South. He also wrote "A Rose for Emily" a predominately retrospective form, creating a sense that the reader is looking back on something. Faulkner includes a plethora of hints in the text, both overt and subtle, that help to suggest that Emily embodies the pride and nobility of the pre-Civil War South.
First of all, it is outwardly stated that Emily was born in to a rather affluent Southern family that, according to the text, "held themselves a little too high for what they really were (paragraph 25)." Not only does this passage establish Emily as being the privileged daughter of a wealthy planter, but it also establishes her family as a relic of the Antebellum South, clinging to ideas such as pride and nobility of blood-- that the modern world had moved beyond. The changing beliefs of different generations is another important theme in the short story. In Emily's time, her taxes were taken care of by the mayor, Colonel Sartoris, with the implication she was being protected because of her status. A generation later, however, representatives from the town come calling expecting her to pay her dues. This is just another example of the changing values of the times, as Emily begins to lose her "credit" around the same time, chronologically, that the old southern values were falling apart. There are more subtle hints hidden in the story as well. Emily's father refusing to allow her to marry any of the young men in town (something that comes back to haunt Emily later in the story) because they weren't "quite good enough" shows yet again her family's reliance on the outdated caste system of the Antebellum South. Even the story's shocking ending is symbolic, as it shows Emily (and, through her, the wealthy gentlemen and ladies of the South) living far too much in the past and clinging to something that had long since died. Finally, the title also seemed to be a subtle clue about the symbolism present in the story. There are many theories about the significance of "A Rose for Emily" as a title. However, if you agree that Emily embodies the Antebellum South, then the title is appropriate for what the story appears to be: a tribute by Faulkner to the pre-Civil War South. Faulkner seems to be critical of the South in his story, but he also recognizes the tragedy of its demise, and he captures this tragic spiral perfectly in the characterization of Emily. Through his story, Faulkner pays homage, or "gives a rose", to the Antebellum South, shattered by the Civil War. (546)